The Surge
by awayinarendelle
Summary: Elsa is the daughter of the cold and detached neurosurgeon, Dr. Walt Arendelle. She is groomed to be the next face of Arendelle Pharmaceuticals, her family's legacy. Living a life of obedience and rules, Elsa strived for nothing but to please her father. But she meets Anna; awkward and different…and someone who will teach her how to truly live as their worlds start to collide.
1. The Heir

_Turned twenty one on a day that we met_  
_Terrible shoes, implausible dress_  
_It's funny how sad the funny things get as you grow older_

**Now Playing: Brooke Fraser ft. Aqua Lung / Who Are We Fooling?**

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The platinum blonde's face immediately lit up upon entering the familiar, quaint, and tiny coffeehouse. Maurice's Coffee Shoppe had always been Elsa's safe haven; the smell of sweet aroma filled her nostrils causing the corner of her lips to rise, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth.

_Mmmmmhhh…Chocolate mocha!_

Elsa was beaming, holding onto the feeling of satisfaction and slight glee before it vanishes as quickly as it came. Her gaze fell on the floor.

_Highlight of my day._

During class breaks and days off, she would find herself situated in the familiar obsolete armchair that was snugly rested by the fireplace with her nose buried in a book. Elsa would usually bring two or three books and place them carefully on the table before her, next to her latte, eager to open them and devour each page…eager to escape her ever busy world.

It didn't have to be a novel, it didn't have to be her usual Biology and Anatomy books. She read comic books, poetry, and even history books about Norway, where her ancestors were from. Elsa was like a sponge; absorbing knowledge whenever it trickles down her direction. Not only was she attractive, she was also extremely smart and on top of her senior class in North Mountain University. Reading so many books from such a young age really did pay off. As far as she can remember, that was all she really did growing up.

_Read. And sometimes, talk to snowmen._

The young girl would spend hours getting lost in fictional lands and sagas that are animatedly and forever immortalized in the pages of her worn out books. Unaware of the hours passing and the people around her, Elsa immersed herself in worlds that none of the others can see.

She would befriend magical kings and queens from faraway lands, have sword fights with Joan of Arc, and create ice palaces with the Snow Queen, her favorite fictional character whom she had read about a dozen times; yet, never getting exhausted by its story and splendor. Though reserved and soft-spoken, the platinum blonde's mind was filled with daydreams and magical encounters with friends she wished she had.

In a life she wished she had.

Elsa's presence stood stark in contrast to the people around her in the coffee shop. Surrounded by a group of townspeople who dressed rather mundane and looking quite bland, she was dressed in a finely ironed designer white button down that fit her slender body rather snugly. Long and toned legs were encompassed by a pair of sleek black skinny jeans; her feet were resting on black Manolo pumps, and she sported a white Hermes handbag that costs more than the entire wardrobe of everyone in that coffee shop.

She stood by the corner waiting to be seated, a hand over the other's shirt cuff, straightening a wrinkle that did not exist. She wanted to wear her running hoodie and sweats today, but opted against it after remembering her father's words.

Well, she never really wore sweatpants in public. But she had always wanted to try. She's seen people in college go to class wearing pajamas. _Why can't I?_

_You must always look professional and respectable. You can never look sloppy or else people won't take you seriously. You will be the new face of Arendelle Pharmaceuticals. Keep that in mind. Whatever you wear, it will be planned and supervised by your personal stylist. I expect nothing less of you, Elsa._

Thought not materialistic in nature, Elsa's father insisted that she always looked her utmost best. He made sure his daughter was properly dressed at all times and properly cared for physically. She had her own stylist (she does not understand the need for this because she can dress herself) and went for daily pedicures and manicures (as a woman, she found this as a necessity for hygienic reasons), attended dermatology appointments every other month (her dermatologist was her father's friend. Dr. Arendelle made sure she went whenever she was summoned), and can be seen at the gym three to four times a week (this is the only thing in her daily schedule that she can honestly say she likes). She was almost immaculate.

Almost.

Not that she needed any of that because Elsa was a natural beauty; she can dress up in rags (not that she would seeing as how her father might react…) and still sink a thousand ships with those piercing blue eyes. Her prominent cheekbones, full and light pink lips, and that long, platinum blonde hair that she always kept in a sophisticated bun or sometimes, on a lazy day, a single loose braid was everything deserving of worship. Though she possessed the looks that any girl would hope for and any man would feast upon, the platinum blonde was utterly, hopelessly shy and down to earth. She had a hard time receiving compliments and often thought of herself as someone plain and ordinary.

The coffee shop owner, Mr. Jean Maurice, was fond of Elsa's daily presence. Elsa was a pleasant customer who would usually order two to three cups of coffee and sometimes, sandwiches to compensate for the time she would spend in the shop. Unlike most other people who would linger idly and order nothing, Elsa made sure she was not just taking space and fulfilled her duties as a respectable customer.

Mr. Maurice was too nice, letting these people loiter, much to Elsa's annoyance. She did not like the idea of Mr. Maurice losing customers because of inconsiderate people taking up space that could be used by other people who would actually purchase food or coffee.

So she tipped well. Sometimes, a little bit way too much (she barely carried cash and used her Black Card for her purchases, and when she did have paper bills, they would be an assortment of fifty to one hundred dollar bills which she generously used for tipping and giving to homeless people she would randomly see on the streets when she's out doing a morning run or when she encounters one) and she would clean up after herself. She was quiet and interacted with no one.

She would exit the shop just as quietly as she had entered it. Though grateful for the young girl's generosity, Mr. Maurice, a kind, short and plump man with welcoming brown eyes, sensed Elsa's slight discomfort and awkwardness whenever he would try to chat with her. He asked about her day. About school. And one time, he asked about her mom, which caused Elsa to blush and stutter an incoherent reply about her "being away."

Looking back now, Maurice realized how odd it was to see the young girl by herself that day, on Mother's Day, at a coffee shop, by herself.

Elsa would smile timidly and ask him questions in return. Polite questions. But often times, she would compliment him.

_"How are you, Mr. Maurice?"_

_"That coffee was exquisite. Thank you, Mr. Maurice."_

Although obviously well mannered, the shop owner thought it best to leave the girl alone, sensing that her sole purpose for visiting his shop on a daily basis was because she needed time to be by herself. Often times, Mr. Maurice would catch Elsa staring into space with her hands cupping her mug. It was like looking at a still painting: the subject, a melancholy muse looking over the sea, waiting for something or someone to arrive.

_"Hello, Elsa. How are you today?"_

_"What can I get you?"_

_"Good night, Elsa. Thank you for coming. See you soon."_

Pleasantries. That was it. Though curious and itching to reach out to the young girl, Mr. Maurice left Elsa alone.

There were not a lot of people who knew about this place. And Elsa preferred it that way. Located outside of town, in the outskirts of what most people of her age think to be a ghost town filled with nothing but antique shops, small boutiques, and old book stores, the twenty-one-year-old escaped her noisy and turbulent world and resided here...for just a few hours at a time to rest and rid herself of classmates, school-related stress, and responsibilities. So many responsibilities. The rundown coffee shop gave Elsa a sense of comfort. She particularly liked it when the sun caressed the window panes, giving the place a warm ambience.

But today, the platinum blonde was far from rested. Today, she did not bring any books. Today, there were more people than usual chattering and making Elsa feel uneasy.

She hated noise. She hated the sound of laughter because it was something she cannot easily produce herself. Today, she was sitting at another table because a group of boisterous teenagers invaded her spot by the fireplace.

_When did these people decide to go here?_ Elsa asked herself bitterly, a finger lazily traced the outline of the rim of her coffee cup in circular motions. An elegant brow perked up, blue eyes scanning the environment.

She was seated adjacent to the main door entrance, her eyes scoping the room and seeing familiar faces from her university. She was so exhausted and a headache was starting to add to her defeat. Sometimes, the smell of chocolates can't make everything feel better. The platinum blonde spent the whole morning working on a thesis paper that was due in a month. Elsa was never the one to leave things the last minute.

The upcoming Magna Cum Laude was never late for any of her classes. Never submitted a project late. Never defied time and its unforgiving hunger to keep moving forward. In fact, she was an hour and a half early for today's event. It was a bad habit to break, her punctuality. She doesn't know if that is something she should be proud of or despise.

Her eyes rested on the back of a girl who was chatting with her group of friends a little bit too enthusiastically and loudly. They had just entered the shop and were waiting for the waiter to clear their table. She knew she's seen this girl somewhere….her crazy and unruly red locks looked too familiar.

Elsa frowned, dropping the question. She was too exhausted for this and to be quite honest, she could not bring herself to care.

As if reading her mind, the girl turned around and immediately recognized Elsa.

"Elsa!" The redhead beamed and walked towards her table.

"Oh…Me...Merida! Hi," the platinum blonde clumsily stood up from her seat to face the girl while accidentally hitting the table with her foot, causing the table to vibrate which almost made her coffee spill.

Elsa is usually poised. Calm. Collected. Well, when she's alone.

Or with her father.

Poised. Especially poised. Calm? Not really. Collected? Yes.

God knows how disappointed he would be if Elsa presented herself as anything less than perfect.

All those years of training from walking, to posture, voice intonation, use of semantics and pragmatics, the four languages she had to learn fluently for "business" and to "communicate well with patients"…Elsa was carved and groomed to be the next heir to his medical empire. She wasn't even a doctor yet. But that's what she will be, nothing more and nothing less.

The famous neurosurgeon, Dr. Walter Arendelle, made sure his only child and only daughter followed after his footsteps and become a renowned surgeon like him, his father, and his father's father.

After all, she will be the one managing their multi-million dollar hospital facilities in Europe and all across the United States. The Arendelles were well known for their wealth and contribution in health science. Their hired doctors and nurses saved the lives of many and have changed the course of medical history with their accomplishments in the field. And Elsa was next in line to handle her family's legacy. The young heir took on her birthright without a say and without complaint.

There is no room for mistakes. Although Elsa's father was not with her and in one of his many meetings, she could not help but look behind her shoulder. She can feel his cold and stern eyes drilling in the back of her skull, ready to scold her for being ungraceful in front of her peer.

Heaven knows she tried and kept trying, but human interaction was not in Elsa's resume of expertise.

_I see. No wonder she looks familiar. She sits two rows away from me in Psych class. We worked on a group project together last semester. How can I easily forget?_

She silently chastised herself. Has she been so shut in that she has forgotten that other people existed outside of her books?

"What are ye doing here? Are ye with someone?" The young redhead with her thick and heavy Scottish accent asked the platinum blonde while stirring her iced coffee with a straw.

_Well, this is a coffee shop and you can obviously see my coffee. So maybe I'm here for…coffee? No, I'm not with someone. Can't I go to a coffee shop by myself?_

Elsa bit her tongue lightly and dismissed the sarcastic remark formulated by her tired brain. Merida was a nice girl.

"I'm waiting for my boyfriend," she replied politely.

"But it might take a while because he's coming from work. He said he has a meeting with his boss…so…" she started to trail off, not really knowing what to say next.

She looks at the other chair at the end of her table.

_Uhm, should I offer her a seat or something? What if she wants to sit down and chat? I mean, she's with her friends…is she gonna go away soon?_

There was a pause. They were both awkwardly standing, facing each other.

Tick. Tock.

Elsa felt her hands moist with sweat and she slowly wiped them on the sides of her jeans, hoping Merida didn't notice.

"Well," Merida started, breaking the silence. "Yer welcome to join our table while ye wait for yer boyfriend. That is, if ye would want to," Elsa's eyes followed Merida's-to a table with two guys and a girl who was standing up and using hand gestures to support whatever story she was telling, causing the other two people to laugh heartily. She looked like she was doing some Karate moves.

"That's Mulan," Merida chuckled. "She goes to another school and she just came back from China after winning a Martial Arts competition for her university." Merida smiled proudly at her friend's direction.

"So what do ye think? Do you wanna come join us?"

Elsa started to chew on the inside of her left cheek while Merida waited for her answer. Seconds passed by. "No…no thanks," Elsa stammered, almost choking on her words.

_Why are you so antisocial? Your father did not spend thousands of dollars for those lessons just so you can flush it down the drain and look like a fool in front of people._

"I'll just wait there. Thank you for the offer, though. But I think you should have fun with your friends,"she managed to muster a coherent sentence, silently chastising herself for her lack of grace.

Merida nodded understandingly, a smile forming on her face. If she was disappointed, it did not show in her features. She wasn't really expecting Elsa to say 'yes.' But it was a worth a shot.

Although they had worked together before and had a few interactions because they were in the same classes, Elsa did not strike her as someone who liked to talk. The platinum blonde would only speak when spoken to or would politely ask generic questions about her day and how she was doing.

The red head did not push Elsa to talk more, noticing that she was already struggling with small chit chats. Instead, she let Elsa take control of the project and did her best to contribute. Their project earned the highest grade in class, which boosted Merida's grade average and she felt very lucky that Mr. Oaken decided that they should do their project in groups because she knew doing this on her own would lead to nothing but a grade that would be barely passing.

Being paired up with Elsa convinced Merida that the gods and whatever higher being that existed up there liked her and favored her. She knew of Elsa's reputation and she knew that being paired up with the class valedictorian would help her pass. The red-head was not very fond of studying and working in quietness. She was the school's archery team's captain and she had only taken Psychology class as an elective because some of her best friends who were pre-med majors were in it.

Elsa meticulously handled the inner workings and the logic of their presentation, while Merida did her best to assist her and provide her own feedback which Elsa gratefully appreciated and included on their final drafts. But in all honesty, Elsa was the one who did most of the work. Merida knew better and left the reserved girl to do what she wished.

Inevitably, Elsa had won the approval and respect of her professors (and gained herself many admirers from the same and opposite sex), but as usual, would politely shift away from the attention and did her work diligently and silently. The whole staff and most of the students knew who she was by name and her association with the great Walt Arendelle, but Elsa did her best to be an honorable student and earned her grades by working hard…not because she was the daughter of the famous neurosurgeon who donated a huge amount of money to the school so it can triple the size of its library so more books and computers can be added to it. Books and computers Dr. Arendelle had also provided.

She politely declined extra credits from professors and exclusive invites from other "elitist" students whom she found to be snobby and condescending of other students who did not specifically meet their standards. The quiet and reclusive young girl spent most of her college days alone, until her boyfriend, Hans came to the picture and acted as her main companion for the past few months.

"It's okay, lass. There's always next time," Merida smiled, and turned her head towards the table that was currently invaded by her friends and back at Elsa.

"I guess I'm gonna go. I'll see ye in school," with her smile not leaving her face, she waved at Elsa and made her way back to her friends who were still laughing with that girl named Mulan. Elsa managed a weak smile and a small wave, watching her classmate reunite with her group of friends.

_Oh, Arendelle. You're hopeless._

Sighing, Elsa retreated back to her chair and lifted her arm, a few breaths away from her chin, to check the time on her wristwatch.

7:15 PM.

As if suddenly remembering something very important, she grabbed her handbag from across the table and fumbled through its contents hastily. Relieved that she found what she was looking for, Elsa stopped her search and eyed the small container box held gingerly by her fingers.

The brown container had the word "Godiva" written boldly on it with a gold and elegant font accompanied by a plethora of little circle chocolates painted over it.

_I wish these were actually real chocolate._

Propping her elbows on the table, a hand covered her eyes as she leans her head against it while her other hand lazily toyed with the container, feeling its texture and listening to the annoying popping sound sound it made whenever her fingers moved. A few minutes had gone by before Elsa nonchalantly snapped open the cover of the container.

With steady hands, she gently and carefully spilled one "chocolate" on her palm and examined it closely, a small grimace forming across her face.

_Remember to take these during breakfast and during dinner. These will help. But be careful, because it's the highest dosage since the last few dosages did not work. This is the top and best product of its kind. I've seen my patients achieve great results. Don't discontinue you medication like you did last time, Elsa. I know you want to keep this a secret from your father, and I respect that since you are of age…but please…just follow the directions. I don't want anything bad to happen to you._

The words of her psychiatrist, Dr. Corona, echoed in her mind.

Thank God for physician-patient confidentiality.

Nodding to no one in particular, Elsa slightly parted her lips, sneaking in the "chocolate" with one swoop of her palm.

_Well, chocolates make me happy. Apparently, these would, too._

Her "chocolates" weren't brown and round like those painted on the container. They were much smaller and coated in a dull shape of blue. In fact, they were far from sweet and feasible.

_Zoloft. 40mg. Take twice a day._

Elsa recited mentally as she took a sip of her coffee to help swallow her not so sweet "chocolate."

Originally from an orange and threatening-looking prescription bottle, Elsa decided it was best to keep her pills on a different location where no one can see. She did not want the maids finding prescription bottles in her room. She did not want her father to find out. And besides, she hated the color orange. She hated taking these things just so she can function everyday.

She hated being so….weak.

Shutting out the noise and the laughter that was resonating through the room, she pulled out her phone from the pocket of her bag.

A text message from Hans flashed across the screen.

_Hi babe, I'm two blocks away from the place. See you soon!_

Elsa closed her eyes, a sharp sigh escaped her lips. She heard her heart thump ferociously against her chest as her body temperature rose. Her cheeks were suddenly warm, dusted by a bright shade of pink. She felt hot. Uncomfortable. Hot.

Her hands started to tremble slightly.

_Breathe in. Out. In. Out. Relax._

_You can do this, Elsa. You have to._


	2. Daddy Dearest

_I tried to wear another face, just to make you proud_  
_just to make you put me in my place_  
_But everything you wanted from me, is everything that I could never be_

**Now Playing: Vertical Horizon / I'm Still Here**

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**First, I want to say that I do NOT own Frozen and the characters of Elsa and Anna. Disney owns it. Obviously. And now that's out of the way, I welcome you to my take on an Elsanna fan fic. I know I haven't introduced Anna in the first chapter AND in this second chapter yet; but the next one will have more of her. I'm trying to show Elsa and her father's relationship since he's kinda…really…maybe important to Elsa's character. But no worries, the rest of the chapters will evolve more on Elsa and Anna. Thanks for sticking by.**

_**Eight months ago...**_

She couldn't help but notice the man that was sitting on the table a few feet away from her. Dressed in an expensive black suit and a cherry red tie, the man looked to be in his mid-thirties. His long brown hair was neatly tied in a ponytail, revealing a handsome face graced with dazzling brown eyes and a perfectly chiseled jaw. He laughed delightfully over the phone, clearly enjoying the conversation he was having with the person on the other line. The hand that was holding the phone against his ear displayed a finger boasting a shiny gold ring. He wasn't that far, Elsa could practically hear snippets of the conversation that he was having.

"_Honey, Little Gaston will be just like his father. Strong and mighty! Don't worry about our boy skipping naptime from time to time! He just wants to run around and play!"_

"_Three more days and I'll be home. I promise you I'll come with you to pick out more books. Sounds good, love?"_

"_I love you more. Kiss our little boy for me, will you?"_

She didn't mean to eavesdrop. She just couldn't find any more distractions to keep herself from feeling the boulder that was sitting contentedly inside her chest, weighing her down and making her feel uneasy. It's just that the restaurant wasn't exactly big and spacious. The tuxedo-laden waiters were relaxed and moved in a slower but timely pace, there were only about a dozen people to be served. Some of the waiters chatted amongst each other by the corner while glancing at the customers now and then, just in case someone called out to them for service.

"Anton Ego's", a fancy and exclusive restaurant, was perched on the very top floor of Stark Towers. Decorated in an array of fancy chandeliers, gold painted walls displaying ornate and expensive paintings, and a huge fountain at the center, very few had access to this place since it only hosted the rich and the powerful.

Mr. Ego, the restaurant's owner, became very good friends with Walt Arendelle after performing a risky but successful surgery on his wife. So many doctors thought Mrs. Ego's case was hopeless and refused to get involved in fear of failing, but Walt was able to save her and give her a second chance at life. Ever since then, the doctor had special privileges and did not need reservations whenever he wanted to visit. While others waited months to experience Ego's world famous ratatouille, Dr. Arendelle can just walk in, be seated immediately, and order whatever he pleased. The doctor visited often, mostly with fellow doctors to discuss new surgical techniques, new medication, and what can be done to improve patient care. He enjoyed the quietness and the fact that only a few can be seated and served here.

Elsa's hands were folded neatly across her lap, and the feeling of sweat forming on the back of her neck made her feel quite uncomfortable because the room was not that hot to begin with. Across from her was her father, quietly looking over a piece of paper with the words 'Arendelle Pharmaceuticals' written boldly on top of it. Clearly oblivious to his surrounding, Walt Arendelle studied the contents of the paper, his brows slightly furrowed and his lips drawn in a firm, thin line. Elsa trained her eyes on her father's face, hoping he wouldn't look up just in time for him to catch her staring. Much like his daughter, the doctor was not fond of crowds unless it was absolutely necessary; but years and years of exposure to people was something the doctor was used to it and it no longer irked him. After all, it was all part of his profession. He did not mind anymore, he just did not prefer it.

Walt Arendelle was undeniably handsome and gifted with the looks of a Nordic god. Carved with a tall and symmetrical nose, a finely trimmed pencil mustache, deep set green eyes, and lips painted in a pale strawberry red, Arendelle's face demanded attention and respect from those who gazed upon it. He was regal, captivating, and tall in stature. He was the kind of man anyone would follow and serve because of his graceful authoritativeness and almost omnipotence. People looked to him and hung onto his every word and direction. Doctors, colleagues, patients; anyone who interacted with him cannot deny his riveting presence. He seems to always know what to do, what to say. He never flinched. Never stuttered. Never hesitated when speaking. He always looked you directly in the eyes when he's speaking to you as if he was reading your mind and seeing your deepest and darkest secrets. He was a looming enigma; a silent but unstoppable force.

Elsa knew all of that. He was her father, after all. But the young girl barely saw her father while growing up. She felt like she should know so much more than what was before her. But that was all she was allowed. That was all that was given to her.

Elsa noticed the grey on his hair had increased and there were dark circles under his eyes.

_He looks tired. I mean, he's been in Norway for four weeks. I wonder how his surgeries went?_

"You're staring." Walt said casually, his eyes not leaving the paper. "Give me one more minute and I'll be done with this." He picked up the pen that was resting on his left and started to scribble on the paper.

"I'm sorry," a light shade of pink spread over the young girl's face and she immediately diverted her gaze to the cup of coffee that was set before her. "Take your time." Elsa busied herself by watching the stream of water rushing from the fountain seated in the center of the restaurant.

A few minutes had elapsed before Walt pulled up his briefcase from the floor to put his paperwork away. Elsa took a sip from her coffee and watched as her father leaned forward from his chair, giving her his full attention.

"You must be wondering why I asked you to come here today." Elsa gave her father a small and polite nod, suddenly growing self-conscious because of how Walt was looking at her directly, not breaking his gaze. He had his secretary call her earlier today, asking her to join him for coffee. She had just ended her last class and planned on heading to the library until she received the call. Part of her was excited because she hasn't seen her father in over a month and a part of her was nervous because…well, she hasn't seen her father in over a month.

"Yes, Papa. How was Norway?" Elsa was eager to hear about her father's trip…actually, she was just eager to hear him speak and hear his voice.

"It was...business as usual." Walt's voice was brooding, and Elsa saw how he slightly fidgeted.

_Okay, I guess he doesn't want to talk about Norway. _

Walt puffed his chest and exhaled the built up air in a slow and controlled manner. "How are your studies?" He started, his head tilted slightly to the side, surveying his daughter. A small grin escaped from his lips as he silently commended Elsa's outfit. Elsa was wearing her usual bun and her face was painted with light make-up, a simple eye-liner and mascara that made her icy blue eyes stand out even more. She wore a black blazer over a blue shirt that complimented her eyes and a pencil skirt to match her top. The young girl looked gorgeous, and Walt was pleased to see that his hired stylist transformed his daughter into a fine and elegantly dressed young woman.

_She looks so much like Idunn. _The face of his wife flashed before him. He immediately shook the thoughts away, his fingers suddenly drumming on the table.

"School's okay. The semester just started and we're given so much work," Elsa hesitated, not wanting to sound like she was complaining, she added, "but it's not hard at all. I've read some of the books from the syllabus during the summer so I'm very familiar with the material." She offered Walt a small smile and said, "I am doing well in school."

"Good. That's all I wanted to hear." He said matter-of-factly while nodding his head. He felt a sudden movement on his left side, where his phone was snugly hidden in one of his pockets. He looked away from Elsa to retrieve the small machine.

"Oh. Okay. Thank you for asking."

Elsa's smile faded, her eyes fell on her hands that were folded on her lap. He didn't even ask about _her_. He asked about school and not how she was doing. They haven't seen each other in over a month and all he can muster to say was _"Good, that's all I wanted to hear"_ as if that was the end of the conversation.

Oblivious to Elsa's crestfallen face, he stared at the screen to see who the caller was. Clearly not wanting to pick up the call, he pressed the "end" button, and placed the phone back in his pocket. His focus went back to Elsa who was waiting for him to speak. Her eyes were still darkened by hurt and slight disappointment, but she knew how to hide that by keeping a straight face.

"_Stop overreacting,"_ she rebuked herself quietly.

"So have you spoken with Hans Westerguard?"

_What?_ That's…unexpected. "H-hans? I know him from one of my classes but we're not exactly friends. Why do you ask?" Her eyebrows furrowed in curiosity, wondering why her father would ask such a random question.

"His father is a good friend of mine. A business partner." Walt folded his hands over the table top. "I've talked to Hans a couple of times whenever he would visit the hospital to see his father. And it's quite a _delight_ to find out that he also goes to your school." Walt replied casually as he covered his mouth with one hand to stifle a yawn.

"Anyway, Christian said his son is interested in you. We have talked about it. I want you to consider Hans. It will be good for our company. It will be good for you."

"_Consider" Hans? Where is this conversation going? The company? _

"Papa, I'm confused. What is this all about?" Elsa asked in an almost whisper. Her eyes not leaving Walt's face, she suddenly felt her body tense. She did not like where this is going and even if she asked for an answer, she also did not want to hear what he had to say.

"He's a proper fit for you." Walt raised an eyebrow, undeterred by Elsa's confusion.

_Is this why he keeps waiting for me after class recently and keeps asking me to have lunch with him no matter how many times I tell him I'm busy?_

Thud. Thud. Thud. Her heart was racing, her breathing, unsteady.

_Calm down. _

"It's only fitting. You are of age and so is he. I know his family and you will be in good hands."

Her knuckles were turning white; her fingers were getting strained from the pressure of grabbing the sides of her skirt and freezing them in place. But her face was stoic, her demeanor unwavering. She inhaled. Exhaled. Suddenly, a thought of the Snow Queen was inserted in her brain. Cool. Calm. Collected. Cold.

"Elsa, are you listening to me?" Her father broke through her panicked stupor.

"Y-yes." Elsa nodded briskly. She was sure her knuckles were about to be ripped apart.

"I want you to _date_ Hans. I want you to say yes when he asks."

Elsa grew quiet. She just…didn't know what to say. The tips of her ears felt hot and her palms were sweating. _Date Hans._ He makes it sound so easy as if innocently asking her to pour sugar on his cup of coffee.

Growing annoyed by his daughter's lack of words, Walt narrowed his eyes and in a firm voice said, "Elsa, I know this is too much to ask right now. But it will please me greatly if you at least consider this. Hans will be good for you and it's about time that you've started seeing other people. I know that your break-up with Jack was-"

_Jack._ Her father kept talking, but she was not in the same room with him anymore. She had shut him out and her mind was trailing off, going to a forbidden place that she had once buried and promised herself never to visit again.

_Why are you bringing this up? _

_Jack Frost. They were seventeen when they met each other in high school. He had the most sunny and easy smile. He made her laugh. He held her hand when they walked together. He said he loved her. She believed him. Then, he left her without a word after graduation. That was that._

"Papa, I don't even know him, " Elsa croaked. She did not like how her voice sounded, but there was no other way to take it all back now. Her eyes fell on the floor to her side, noticing a piece of napkin some waiter probably dropped from his tray while walking back to the kitchen.

_I don't want to be with anyone right now._

_You asked me to come meet you to talk about HANS? You've been gone for weeks and you don't even wonder how I'm doing. Why are you-_

"Your mother-" Walt's calm and distant voice once again interrupted Elsa's stupor. Upon hearing these words, the last word in particular, caused Elsa to whip her head back to Walt's direction; blue eyes widening, and her full attention solely given to the man with the cold green eyes. He suddenly had her wrapped around his finger.

_Your mother. _

"….would have approved of this. She would want you to be with Hans."

It only took one glance at Elsa to convince Walt that he had achieved the desired effect of his words. He gingerly lifted his lukewarm beverage with his pen-stained hand, his nose hovering over it, taking in the scent and the warmth of the coffee it contained. "Elsa, I know you will choose what's right for you. It's only for the best."

Elsa was trapped. There was no choosing. There was only obeying. She brushed a hand against her sideswept bangs, wiping away the sweat that was forming on her forehead. Defeated and tired blue eyes met the face of the man who was sitting right before her. The man she wished she can understand.

"I'll consider it." Elsa held back a sigh, she wanted to wrap her arms around herself, a defense mechanism and a habit she had when faced with uncertainty and vulnerability. But she resisted, because she knew her father would reprimand her for her bad posture. He did not like it when she slouched or showed any sign of_….imperfection_.

_He said my mother would approve if I did this…_

…_Who am I to deny her that?_

And upon hearing her answer, Walt flashed a genuine and toothy smile. It's as if watching an ice crack. Elsa barely saw him smile like that, and it killed her inside because he wasn't smiling _at_ her, but because he asked her to do something and she gave him the satisfaction that she was going to grant his wishes.

_Who am I kidding? It's always been like this. _

_And… my birthday passed. A call… a text…it would've been nice. _

"Good. Be the good girl you always have to be, Elsa."


	3. Pancakes and Coffee Shops

_No need to come to me when I can make it all the way to you_  
_You made it clear, you weren't near_  
_Near enough for me_

**Now Playing: The XX / Heart Skipped A Beat**

* * *

**So sorry for the delay, life and work happened. But I'm still continuing this story! Thanks to my personal Kristoff, my better half for reading this over. Anna's finally in here! To the people who are actually reading this, THANK YOU. I really have fun writing it and I'm still very much in love with Elsa and Anna. asdfghjkk. ****shipping intensifies***** **

"I GOT IN, I GOT IN, I GOT IIIIIIIIN!" The redhead could not contain her excitement as she jumped up and down the kitchen, her hands flailing in the air and her braids bouncing along with her as she continued to do her victory hop. Her voice echoed through the apartment and she did not care if the neighbors heard her. All that mattered was the fact that she was accepted to her dream college. She had just received a call from the university that morning, which was perfect timing because her best friend was with her to share the good news with. The sun was out, the birds were chirping just outside her window, and it had stopped raining. It was a perfect day. Anna had been waiting for weeks for her acceptance letter to arrive. At first, she was nervous because she thought it had been lost in the mail since she had just recently moved and was not entirely sure with how mailing and delivery worked in Revenland. Relief washed over her as the envelope bearing great news arrived in the form of a phone call.

"I can't believe it! They actually accepted me!" Anna proclaimed incredulously, surprise and shock still evident in her voice. "Like, this is ridiculous. Can you believe it? It's so last minute, I can't believe they didn't put me on the wait list!"

Pause.

Frowning over the lack of answer and enthusiasm, she walked towards her best friend who was busy baking pancakes. Boxes and clothes were littered all over her small apartment. She had only been in town for two weeks and did not really have a chance to settle down in her new home just yet. She looked over her clutter and thought about really unpacking. She can't go around wearing the same pair of jeans she has been wearing for the past two days. The redhead was sporting a green hoodie with a black tanktop underneath. Her jeans had a few mud stains from tripping and falling so much from the other day from playing soccer with Kristoff. It was out of impulse, she found her soccer ball from one of her boxes and dragged her best friend to play with her at the nearby playground located in her neighborhood.

A finger tapped the back of the tall figure standing over the stove. "You're ignoring me. I'm like, super stoked about getting into this awesome college and you're just there."

Kristoff simply grinned and flipped a pancake expertly with his spatula. He didn't turn around to face Anna even though he heard her sigh dramatically behind him. Anna folded her arms indignantly, deeply frowning at Kristoff's figure.

"Fine," she snapped. "Ignore me. You and your stupid pancakes." She walked away, exaggerating her steps like a five year old walking away from her dumb boy best friend because he refused to play with dolls with her.

Unamused, Kristoff shook his head with that same grin still plastered on his face. He's so used to Anna's tactics and little tantrums. He gently twisted the oven knob to turn it off and turned around to face his irritated friend.

"Anna," he started while walking to the couch where she was sitting petulantly, her arms still folded across her chest. "Of course I'm happy and excited for you. You've been screaming the same thing over and over again for the past hour. I'm making these pancakes to celebrate your success and because they're your favorite." Kristoff tried to explain but he couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Anna. _Adorable. _She ignored his happy noise and continued to glare at the box that was sitting on her left.

Pause. The stubborn red head refused to look at him.

The dirty blonde haired boy shifted his weight on one leg as he stood waiting for Anna to respond. He ran a hand on the back of his neck and started rubbing it nervously. "Feisty Pants, please talk to me."

"On one condition," Anna finally trained her head to Kristoff's direction, her death glare still in tact. "I get to eat all the pancakes. You're only having one. A tiiiiiiiny one." Anna raised her hand and pressed two fingers together, leaving a very small gap in between to emphasize the size of the pancake Kristoff is allowed to eat.

Kristoff laughed and rolled his eyes. "Fine, but also on one condition."

"And what's that?" Anna inquired with a raised brow, her tone challenging.

"Come here and hug me." Kristoff wiggled his eyebrows and stretched out his arms while bending his knees to accommodate Anna's height. "Or else no pancakes for you at all."

Anna couldn't suppress the smile that her lips were forming. She couldn't stay mad at Kristoff. He looked ridiculous and the puppy eyes he was giving her succeeded in making her heart melt. She stood from the couch and slowly made her way to her best friend, whose arms were still outstretched and ready to engulf her.

Step.

"Promise you won't ignore me again and pick pancakes over me?"

"I promise. I'm sorry."

Step. Step.

"Promise you'll always have lunch with me in school and never ever leave me?"

"I promise."

Step.

Anna wrapped her arms around Kristoff's shoulder and Kristoff gladly locked her in an embrace. He lifted her up and his massive arms gently closed Anna in towards himself. The redhead happily nuzzled his shoulder; as she stood elevated from the ground she mentally noted the scent of pancakes and cinnamon lingering on Kristoff's shirt. She liked that smell. It was so Kristoff.

When he finally put her down, he raised his hands to cup Anna's face. "I am so proud of you, Feisty Pants. More than you'll ever know." His brown eyes softened when he saw his best friend's face light up.

Anna's hands were resting on Kristoff's chest just in case she wanted to wrap her arms around him again especially now that he's saying sweet and nice things. She couldn't help but flash a smile, gratitude blooming inside her chest at her best friend's sincere words. Kristoff was not the sentimental type of guy, the six-foot football player barely expressed his feelings and he definitely would be the last person on earth to ask for hugs. He liked how Kristoff was with her - gentle, relaxed, and more open. She cherished moments like these. It took a while for Kristoff to warm up to her, but Anna's persistence paid off and now, they are best of friends and inseparable.

"Anna, I love you. You know that right?"

"Kristoff..." Anna's teal-eyes widened, dramatically gasping as she placed a hand over her chest, "Loves me?" The redhead feigned innocence and playfully covered her mouth with both hands.

"You are such a stinker, Anna." Kristoff rolled his eyes and pulled her in for another embrace. She giggled and lifted her face to look at him.

"I know you love me. I love you, too. Bjorgman, you're like, the best big brother ever."

Kristoff smiled a little and rested his chin on top of her head, cradling the shorter girl that was happily hugging him. His face fell and the glow in his eyes started to slowly dissipate. He was glad Anna's head was resting on his chest and she wasn't able to see his face or else there would've been questions as to why he suddenly looked melancholy.

_Yeah. Big brother. Right. I keep forgetting that's all I am to you._

* * *

"_PUNZ, YOU BETTER GET YOUR ASS HERE SOON. WE MUST CELEBRATE!" _Rapunzel Fitzherbert flinched and yanked her phone away from her ear to save it from being deafened by Anna's shrill cry. The shorthaired brunette shook her head and started to grin as she listened to her friend ramble excitedly from a distance, her phone still hovering over her ear. She fumbled in her purse with her other hand, trying to retrieve the keys to her home. It was raining profusely and she was already drenched, her pink coat saturated with water because she had forgotten to bring an umbrella. Finally, she had found her keys and she opened the door to her home.

"Anna, I just got inside the house. Will you _please _slow down and tell me what's going on again? I can barely hear you inside the car with all that rain." Rapunzel placed her purse on top of the dinner table and shook the wet coat off her body, hanging it inside the coat closet that was standing next to the main door entrance.

When she was finally settled, she went inside her shared bedroom with Eugene and plopped herself onto their bed. She was exhausted from drawing and mapping sketches for a client's new office all day with her colleagues. It was a big project, and it was possibly her company's greatest catch in years. Pepper Stark's office demanded over-the-top and hyper modernized details, and since money was not an issue, Rapunzel and her team found this to be just as equally exciting and challenging since they were not limited in budgeting and were allowed to be extravagant with their designs. But this meant more pressure for the young designer and her company since Pepper was a very influential woman and deserved nothing less but a powerhouse that suited her "no time for bullshit" personality. Rapunzel was more used to smaller projects and it was shocking to her to be chosen to be part of this project. This was something new for her since she was more inclined to designing children's playgrounds and bedrooms.

"Okay so, I got into my dream university!" The redhead exclaimed, but this time, without screaming and jumping around.

"Storybrooke University? I thought you didn't want to move to Maine?" Rapunzel asked, her green eyes scanned the ceiling and she noticed a haphazard brush stroke on one of the sun drawings she had painted. "_I have to fix that_," she silently thought to herself while pursing her lips.

"Storybrooke? No. Regina goes there, and she bullied me throughout high school. I don't want to see that witch." Anna's nose scrunched up in disgust as she remembered how miserable she was during high school because she was the target of Regina's jokes and cruelty. She had done nothing to offend the girl, but she was still mercilessly taunted and made fun of. It was years ago, but the memory still made Anna shiver.

"Besides, Snow said it rains there all the time. Like, I know it rains a lot here in Revenland, but it's not as bad."

"I thought you only moved there because you wanted to take a semester off and work while renting a place with Tiana and Ariel?" The green eyed girl continued to study her paintings on the ceiling and decided that she'll have to ask her husband to fetch her the ladder from the basement the next day because she needs to repaint a few images.

"Mom and dad decided to pay for my rent for the first few months until I get a job. They were really cool with me transferring to another school since Weselton University wasn't really my first choice. And I'm not really rooming with Ariel and Tiana anymore since they go to school on the opposite side of town and it'll be harder for them to commute. I have my own place now and Kristoff lives right around the corner and he goes to North Mountain, too! Everything's working out and I'm just so happy!" The redhead's enthusiasm was unwavering, and Rapunzel couldn't help but squeal delightfully.

"Okay, so which school is this?"

"North Mountain University!"

Another happy squeal. "That's great, Anna! That's such an amazing school! I'm so happy for you!" Rapunzel sat up, her chest bubbling with excitement. "Some of my coworkers designed their new library. I heard it's humongous, I haven't really had the chance to check it out yet but I'm sure you'll enjoy the place. Some big time doctor donated tons of money for it to be funded. I forgot his name, I think it's Arendal or something." Rapunzel tapped her chin in thought, trying to remember the doctor's name.

"Arendal? Isn't that a place in Europe or something?" Anna frowned, puzzled by the foreign name. "Don't know who that is." The redhead jammed her phone in between her head and her shoulder so she can use both hands to tie her shoelaces. "But thank you, Doctor Arendal. I think I saw the announcement on the school website that they've added a lot of new computers, too. I'm so stoked to be going there."

"I know," Rapunzel chewed on her lower lip. "I'll come visit as soon as possible, I promise. Once this project is over, I'm all yours. Well, Eugene and I."

Anna rolled her eyes. "Of course, Mrs. Fitzherbert," the redhead tucked her hair behind her ear and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Grey shirt, black shorts, running shoes. Content that she looked presentable and ready to go, she smiled at the image before her and bid her best friend farewell.

"Punz, talk to you later? I'm gonna go out for a run. Tell Eugene I said 'hello' okay?"

"Sure, love. Tell Kristoff I said 'hello' too." The brunette stood up to open her closet, retrieving a pair of pajamas that she saw laying on top of Eugene's folded pants. "Tell him Pascal misses Sven! I'm gonna go and make dinner for Eugene before he gets home." Anna rolled her eyes and snorted upon hearing this. "Ugh, I'm just so in love with him," Rapunzel sighed and started to miss her husband. "I know and it's gross," Anna deadpanned. "Oh shut, up!" Rapunzel gasped and feigned insult. "Call me later, loser. I love you." Rapunzel unbuttoned her jeans, ready to wiggle herself out of them so she can change into something more comfortable.

The redhead couldn't help but giggle. "Love you, too!" Anna smiled warmly as she pressed the 'end' button. She missed Rapunzel and she was so excited for her friends getting married and starting a life together. They were perfect for each other, Rapunzel and Eugene. Anna was the Maid of Honor for her friends' big day and the memory of floating lanterns and the beach where the couple said their "I do's" made Anna's stomach flutter.

_I wonder who my soulmate is? _

Anna shook her head, a smirk forming on her lips. She exited her apartment and welcomed the warmth of the sun as she jogged towards the park.

* * *

"You're breaking up with me?" The voice of the young man pierced the silence of the night as he roared and demanded an answer from the blue-eyed girl standing in front of him. They were across the street from Maurice' Coffee Shoppe since the auburn haired man with the distinct sideburns could not lower his voice down, causing the startled young woman to beg him to exit the shop so they can talk in private.

"Hans…it hasn't been working out. It's not working out." Elsa's voice was feeble, she wanted to sound firm and authoritative like her father, but she could not. She wanted to cry and scream but the knot in her stomach prevented her to do so. She just couldn't win. No, she cannot break down in front of Hans. No, she will not allow herself to do it. The platinum blonde was hugging herself, protecting her core and trying her best not to crash and burn. Her hands started to tremble, but she held them close to her chest as she felt her heart rate quicken.

_Conceal it. Don't feel it. Don't let it show. You're failing. You're a fucking failure. Stop. Falling. Apart. Stop. Feeling. Stop._

"What do you mean it's not working out?" Hans shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying hard to control his voice and his temper. He was tired. He had a long day and he did not expect this. No, not at all. This was not part of the schedule. This was not part of the plan.

"I had been nothing but _good_ to you." Hans did not even try to hide the hint of accusation from his voice. He stared her down and demanded an answer, his eyebrows knotting in frustration.

Elsa felt something break inside her.

"What did I do, Elsa?" Dark green eyes met Elsa's and she could not help but look away. The intensity and the anger in Hans' eyes were too much for Elsa to take in, causing her to close in on herself even more. _Breathe._ Mustering whatever courage and strength that she had left, she faced Hans and gave him a feeble reply.

"Megara Thebes."

Elsa choked out the name like it was rotten food that she had been keeping inside her mouth for quite some time until she found a place to spit it out. She held it in for so long that it had rotted her insides, the decay spreading through her chest and everywhere else that was once in tact and unblemished by betrayal and hurt. Everything within her was slowly dying. She could no longer keep her silence. She could no longer live like this.

Pause.

Hans' eyebrows slowly relaxed as his features softened. His eyes never left Elsa's and the young girl could not decipher or read his thoughts based on his inconspicuous expression. They stared at each other, not saying a word. Right there and then, both of them knew that there was no going back. Elsa knew. She's known all along.

"How did you find out?" Hans started, his voice low and ominous. Elsa did not know whether or not she should feel relieved that he was not feigning innocence. _So it is true, after all._ The fact that Hans did not even try to deny knowing the name and the person added more blows to Elsa's injuries.

_Inhale. Exhale._ "She told me," Elsa swallowed a lump in her throat as she felt something wet threatening to fall down on her face so she she briskly brushed the back of her hand over her eyes in one sweep motion. "She came up to me after class a few weeks ago and she told me that you're with her and you've been seeing each other for two months."

Pause.

"She showed me…pictures and told me to…fuck off." Shimmering blue eyes studied Hans as he interlocked his hands over the back of his head.

Pause.

Hans snapped his eyes shut as one hand suddenly flew to his mouth. Was he…._laughing?_ Elsa's eyes widened in disbelief, watching Hans shake uncontrollably, laughing unashamedly and jubilantly. He was bending over, his arms wrapped around his stomach to prevent himself from losing his balance. His howls grabbed the attention of the people nearby, but Elsa's eyes were solely on him, wondering what the hell was happening.

When he was finally done with his outburst, Hans wiped the tears from his eyes and faced the platinum blonde.

"I'm sorry," he started, his voice breathless. "I guess it's fucking over then." Elsa stared at him dumbfounded. _Is this a fucking joke?_

"You cheated on me, Hans. Is this a fucking joke to you?" Elsa's words were laced in venom. She was suddenly seething in anger at how Hans was reacting to all of this. Her eyes narrowed and she stomped towards Hans.

"You fucking cheated on me!" She pounded his chest with tightly coiled fists, causing him stumble backwards. "Hans, why? How dare you tell me that all you were was good to me when you've been sleeping with another girl behind my back?" Hot tears started to stream down her face but she did not care. She did not care that her voice was breaking and she did not care if people around her saw. Something inside her snapped and she no longer cared right this moment whether she should fix it or not.

_That perfect girl is gone. _

A malicious snarl distorted Hans' face as he grabbed Elsa's hand. "I fucking cheated on you because we both know this whole thing is staged by our fathers. I tried to look past that because I really liked you. I really fucking did." He hissed as his eyes darkened and drilled Elsa's. He was pressing her hand too hard causing her to flinch but she did not retaliate or pull away. The words that were coming out of his mouth did more damage than his tight grip.

"Of course this relationship didn't work out because you never trusted me to begin with," Hans let go of Elsa and flailed his arms in the air, not knowing what to do with them in his frustration. "You won't let me in. You won't even fucking have sex with me." Elsa's eyebrows shot up incredulously upon hearing this. Unbelievable. "You won't let me get close to you. It's been months, Elsa. I'm not going to sit around and wonder if you're into me or not." It was Hans' turn to be angry again. He jabbed an accusing finger at her and continued to berate her.

"Did you really think I was going to last with you? You're like a puppet, "He snarled. "You only care about what your father thinks! _And you will never be half the woman Meg is!_" Hans regretted these words the moment they came out but he did not bother taking them back. What was the point of sugarcoating? It was over anyway. What was the point of pretending to care about what she thought?

Elsa was too stunned to reply. The anger within her came to an abrupt halt and all she can do was stare at Hans. The ringing in her ears became distant and hazy, everything within her and around her were suddenly slowing down and melting away. She suddenly felt so…_hollow_. She could've said so much. But she was drained. So drained. All those weeks of pretending that things were okay after finding out the truth depleted her. After a few minutes of deafening silence, Elsa finally spoke up.

"Love." She whispered quietly as her gaze met the ground. The four letter word sounded so foreign and taboo as it rolled out of her lips.

"What?"

Elsa looked up to meet his eyes, all anger wiped away by the silent tears that trickled down unapologetically. "Was it all a lie?...You telling me that you'll wait? You telling me that you actually love me?" Her voice was hoarse; broken and defeated and...unwilling to fight back.

Silence.

"Hans, was it all a lie?" Elsa asked once again; a hint of desperation coated her already trembling voice. Why she felt this nagging desperation, she did not know. She did not understand. She sounded pathetic, but she needed to hear his answer. She needed him to tell her that their relationship wasn't all a hoax.

_No, not all of it. It can't be._

She tried. Heaven knows she tried.

But it wasn't good enough for him. She was not good enough for him.

Hans looked at Elsa. For the first time, he really looked at her and saw her for who she really was.

_Beautiful but tragic. Too tragic. _

"Oh, Elsa," There was genuine pity in his voice. He straightened his back and crossed his arms against his chest, making him look like he was looming over Elsa. He looked at her with steel green eyes that eerily reminded Elsa of her father's, a small mocking smile creeping onto his face.

"If only there was someone out there who loved you."_  
_


	4. Collide

**Now Playing: The Turtles / So Happy Together**

* * *

**And at last…they finally meet. **

* * *

The shuffling of her feet and the music blaring from her earphones were the only things Anna was focused on while she jogged and motivated herself to keep going. She had wanted to go faster, but the redhead ate leftover pancakes from last night before heading out. Anna realized that this had been a bad idea since she was almost convinced that the contents of her stomach were about to rise up to her chest in an attempt to exit grotesquely from her mouth.

_Damn you and your pancakes, Kristoff. _

But she kept persevering; she wanted to finish another lap around the park before stopping. Worn out running shoes padded steadily onto the pavement as she felt brittle dried leaves crunch under them. The back of her shirt was already drenched in sweat and her face was flushed. Strands of bangs matted together on her forehead, beads of perspiration gluing them in place.

_Come on, one more lap and it's going to be two miles. Let's go, Fjellheim!  
_

* * *

_Elsa, I'm sorry that this is so last minute…but Dr. W wanted to move the meeting at 11:30 instead of 2:30. I tried calling your phone but u weren't picking up. Please reply when u get this message. Hope to see u soon. - Vanellope V.S._

Her eyes had already started to sting from re-reading the text message for the fifth time. She already replied to Vanellope and confirmed her attendance, insisting that she would come on time, but she kept going over the message as if waiting for the secretary to text her back to change the time again. Vanellope assured Elsa that she did not have to arrive early and that she can send a limousine to come and pick her up from her place but the twenty-one-year old was set on going by herself and refused to inconvenience anyone. She did not need a car to pick her up, her apartment was eight blocks away from the hospital and she did not want her father to know that she was using his limousine because she was running late. That would just be irresponsible.

_11:05. I can still make it._

Elsa was speed walking. She cut through the park in hopes of getting to her destination faster since this route was the easiest shortcut instead of going another way. The only day where she allowed herself to sleep in and put her phone on silent, her father decided to pull the rug from under her feet and catch her off guard with this change of schedule. She cursed under her breath and continued to walk swiftly, her stilettos clacking against the pavement.

Lack of time prevented her from putting make-up on and she could only manage to fix her platinum blonde mane in a simple bun, her bangs swept to the side in an effortless but fashionable manner. She hurriedly dressed herself in black slacks and a red button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up just above her elbows. Upon exiting her apartment, she stopped by a nearby deli to grab a cup of coffee to jolt her back to reality and wake her senses. No time for Starbucks, she needed something warm in her stomach to somehow calm her nerves.

She took a sharp sip from her coffee while continuing to scan her phone for text messages and e-mails. Her head was dipped low and her eyes were shifting back and forth trying to read the words on the screen. She continued to move forward, inattentive and oblivious of the running figure from a distance that was coming from the opposite direction towards her.

* * *

_Imagine me and you __*huff*__ I do *__huff__*I think about you day and night *__huff*__ it's only right *__huff__* to think about the girl you love and hold her tight *__huff*__ so happy together *__huff__*_

Anna tried to sing the classic Turtles song in between breaths while she continued to run. Kristoff made her a playlist titled, "~beastly reindeer king songs~" and insisted that she downloaded it on her iPod. She did not find this song to be particularly "beastly." Actually, the whole playlist was far from intimidating and fast-paced. She was quite surprised to know that Kristoff listened to "oldies" music. The playlist included songs from The Beach Boys, The Cure, and a variety from The Beatles. It was out of character for the stocky football player to be listening to such mellow music, but Anna loved the surprise.

_What a fruitcake._ A small grin rose from the corner of her lips as she thought of her best friend.

The adrenaline infused redhead was sprinting this time; she just wanted to end her exercise but will not stop until she's done circling the park for her last lap. She can feel her shins and her legs burn from pain, but Anna was stubborn and did not let this throbbing inconvenience stop her.

Something caught her eye from her far right.

She saw two little girls chasing each other as their father and mother laughed and ran along with them. Anna slowed her pace and smiled widely, watching the little family run in circles in a field of grass near the playground. The Turtles were still serenading her while she jogged, her eyes shining at the adorable sight.

* * *

_Imagine how the world could be, so very fine, so happy together…  
_

* * *

_I'm fifteen mins away. I'll be there soon. –E_

Elsa struggled to text with one hand. She wanted to call Vanellope but decided not to because she suspected the secretary was preparing the office for the meeting and she did not want to disturb her. She continued to walk, taking another sip from her already lukewarm coffee. Elsa suddenly felt a slight chill as a whooshing sound reverberated through the park, making the trees sway along with the wind. In a hurried frenzy from trying to leave her apartment to get to the hospital on time, she had forgotten to bring a blazer with her.

Her phone started to buzz in her palm. She shook her head and sighed appreciatively. _Vanellope replies fast_. But when she lifted her hand to take a closer look at the screen, she was surprised that it wasn't from the secretary, but from her childhood friend from Norway named Olaf.

_Hi, Your Majesty. I'm going to be in Revenland for a few weeks! Please make time for me because I REALLY wanna see you and give you the warmest of hugs! Call me when you get this message! :D_

Elsa's face lit up upon reading this. She immediately clicked on Olaf's name to make a call, excitement started to swell from within her as she placed the phone over her ear. When she made a turn, she caught a glimpse of a family of four running around and laughing extravagantly.

* * *

_Me and you and you and me, no matter how they toss the dice, it has to be…_

* * *

Voicemail. Elsa frowned and waited for Olaf's phone to prompt her to leave a message.

"Olaf! I just got your text message," her eyes followed the smaller girl who was wearing a green shirt and white shorts. She was chasing a taller girl who was probably her older sister. They had matching shorts, but the older girl was wearing a light blue shirt. "You can stay over my place, let me know when you're coming so I can clear my schedule." Elsa caught the mother's attention, and the woman smiled warmly at her. She shyly returned the gesture and continued to walk briskly, distracted by the older girl who locked the smaller girl in an embrace from the back. Her voice was shaking with laughter as she loudly exclaimed, "Tickle bumps!" The younger girl squealed in delight and tried to wiggle herself from her sister's arms; the older girl darted her hands onto the sides of the little girl, her fingers wriggled mercilessly as she tickled her.

The blonde shook her head, a smile forming on her lips when she saw the older girl plant a kiss on her baby sister's forehead while they were on the grass playfully tackling each other.

* * *

_The only one for me is you, and you for me__, s__o happy together…_

* * *

The sound of running shoes crushing aggressively against the pavement broke through Elsa's stupor, causing her to whip her head towards the source of the noise. Blue eyes widened like saucers when she saw a mixture of reds and greys charging towards her.

Anna was beaming at the sight of the children. When she was finished admiring the view, she turned her head and immediately caught sight of a taller woman dressed in red. Teal eyes widened with panic as they realized how close their proximity was. The girl in front of her mirrored her expression and tried to step aside but it was too late. Way too late.

_Oh shit!_

Anna yanked the earphones from her ear. She tried to slow down, but her momentum prevented her from doing so. Her attempt to stop abruptly failed as she skidded and tripped over her feet, her body crashing onto the other girl. Her head bumped onto Elsa's shoulder, the impact causing the blonde to stumble backwards and drop her phone _and _coffee cup; its contents spraying both her and the redhead as it landed on the floor, soaking Anna's sneakers with one last _splat_.

Before either of them can react, Anna was still trying to gain some balance when her foot landed on her dangling earphones, resulting to a very ungraceful fall.

Elsa stared at her heels and her soaked pants in horror, her hands froze in midair and her legs were slightly parted in an almost crouching position. She can feel her ears ringing and the beating of her heart was so loud. If she didn't know any better, she would have believed that it was going to burst right out of her chest.

"I am so sorry," Elsa snapped her head at Anna's direction upon hearing her voice, her panic causing her to momentarily forget that the other girl was there. It happened too fast. Anna was already standing up and she was clumsily wiping her hands on her shorts. Rivulets of blood trickled from her leg because she scraped it from tripping and falling. " I-I wasn't looking! Are you hurt?" Anna flinched at the sudden pain from her leg and from seeing Elsa's startled form. Her face was so red from embarrassment, she wasn't sure what to do with her hands as they started to fly in every direction while she explained herself.

Elsa was also flustered, shaky hands frantically smoothed her red shirt, slight relief washing over her when she realized it wasn't drenched in coffee. "I was looking at the cute little children and I didn't even notice that you were there!" The redhead was quickly filled with dismay. She couldn't look Elsa in the eye, humiliation and shame still etched on her face.

_What a dumbass excuse. _Anna bit her tongue, rebuking herself for her reckleness.

She was still hanging her head low, avoiding eye contact, when saw Elsa's white iPhone on the ground. Anna took the opportunity to duck down to pick it up, hoping that the flush on her face would somehow disappear. When she rose up to finally face Elsa, the blonde cleared her throat.

"I'm fine. Are you okay?" Elsa asked cautiously, unfocused, her eyes flitting back and forth between Anna's disheveled hair and the distracting array of freckles peppered over her nose. She can still hear the drumming of her heart pounding through her chest. _Calm down. This is nothing. You're okay. Breathe in. Out._ She surveyed the shorter girl as she rested a hand over her chest. Her heart started to relax and slow its pace when she took control of her breathing. _Steady. Breathe. You're okay. It's okay._

Teal meets blue.

_Holy. Shit._ Anna's eyes widened at the sight of Elsa.

_Thud. _

_Thud. _

_Thud._

Anna gulped nervously, her ears felt hot and her throat was suddenly dry. "Uh, yeah," she croaked as she extended her hand to give Elsa her phone. "Here's your phone." Their fingers brushed against each other at the exchange, making Elsa blush in spite of herself. _Wait, what?_

"I am so sorry. I'll replace your pants! I'll buy you another cup of co-" Anna's voice was pleading and she was about to bombard Elsa with apologies once again when the platinum blonde interrupted her.

Elsa shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. "No, it's okay. Really, it is. It was an accident," Elsa was hoping that her smile was convincing to somehow relax the overly flustered girl. She ran a hand over the top of head to smoothen her hair, wishing she had brought her purse so she can pull out her little mirror to see if it was still in tact.

"I'm going to a meeting and it's right around the corner. I'm okay." Elsa kept tapping the screen of her phone with her thumb, her arms now hanging uselessly against her thighs. She nervously checked her wristwatch and gritted her teeth against her tongue. _2:25_. She wasn't going to make it to that meeting on time. And if she did, she wasn't sure if her father would be thrilled to see her looking so rumpled and reeking with the scent of cheap coffee. She can't back out now, she was expected to be there and she was just a few blocks away.

Anna looked to her side, tucking her hair behind her ears, her freckled face still hinting shades of reds.

"I have to….."

"Are you sure you're…."

Both girls spoke at the same time, and when their words clashed, they looked at each other and turned their heads away, avoiding each other's stares. The redhead bit her lower lip and timidly folded her hands together in front of her, teal eyes scanning the floor for a hole to sink herself into so it can swallow her whole. Elsa forced a nervous laugh, a sudden blush dusting her pale cheeks.

Regaining her composure while trying to avoid the uncomfortable wetness that was just below her legs from the splatter of the coffee, she looked at Anna, whose head was still dipped low in shame. Elsa followed Anna's gaze; she noticed that the redhead's once white sneakers were completely saturated with her beverage.

"Hey, it's really okay." Elsa offered, looking up. She felt bad for Anna and did not mean for her to be this abashed. It was an accident after all.

Anna slowly and hesitantly raised her head to train her eyes on Elsa's face.

Anna noted Elsa's appearance: The blonde had her hair styled in a bun with loose strands sticking out, and her bangs were swept to the side, revealing bright blue eyes that reminded Anna of the sky. Her lips were slightly parted, and her cheeks were covered in a soft shade of pink. She noticed Elsa's chest heaving back and forth, the top of it bare from her shirt not being buttoned all the way up to the neck-the tips of her ears felt hot; she gulped, hoping the other girl did not notice.

_Holy. Shit. She's so…gorgeous._

She stayed quiet for a few seconds, collecting her thoughts so she wouldn't babble something incoherent and embarrass herself even more. Once she was convinced that she was ready to talk without making a fool out of herself, Anna took a step forward. She slightly cringed when she felt the wetness inside her shoes and the throbbing pain on her leg from her previous fall. _I guess I need to buy new running shoes now. And some band-aids. _The thought of coffee and sweat combining made her stomach turn. She shook the disgusting images away and diverted her attention back to the blue-eyed girl.

Anna swallowed hard in an attempt to wash away the tremor in her voice. _Stop being so awkward._

"I'm Anna. Anna Fjellheim," Anna tried to sound casual as she extended her hand, watching Elsa cautiously for any sign of refusal. She didn't know why she was introducing herself, but it seemed like the appropriate thing to do. Because of her, the girl is late to a very important meeting. Because of her, she might get fired from her job. Negative thoughts bombarded Anna's mind but her hand stayed still, reaching out to Elsa's. It took Elsa a second to realize what was going on and she quickly switched to professional mode.

"Elsa Arendelle," the blonde blinked and replied mechanically as she took Anna's hand. Anna felt the softness of Elsa's palm against her own. A warm flush crept up to the blonde's face at the contact which she found to be strange because she's used to shaking people's hand-that, she can handle as long as she didn't engage in long conversations. Walt made sure that she had the social skills to communicate with others even if it was just a facade. _Shake hands. Smile. Be polite. Make small chit chats. That's all you need to do. If you're nervous, conceal it and don't let it show. Put on a show._

_Arendelle...that sounds familiar. _Anna pursed her lip in thought. But before Anna can remember where she had heard that name before, she turned to look at Elsa and noticed that she was blushing. Her worry started to resurface again.

A look of concern furrowed the redhead's brows. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Elsa smiled weakly, touched by Anna's sincerity. "Yes, I'll be fine," she replied. Anna fiddled with the tangled earphones in her hand, not knowing what to say next as she scuffed her shoes on the ground hoping for them to somehow dry up. Elsa was hugging herself, cerulean eyes studying the skies above them. The sun was hiding behind the clouds and Elsa wondered if it was going to rain. Anna was watching her, taking in another gulp, suddenly mesmerized by how attractive she is. She had wanted to say more but couldn't find the words. What else was there to say anyway?

_Oh God, do you know how overly attractive you are and how stupid I feel right now for bringing us both in this stupid, awkward, stupid, stupidest situation?_

"I have to go my meeting," Elsa said, her gentle voice breaking through Anna's panicked stupor. Her arms were still wrapped around herself, but her eyes were now fixed on Anna. "Oh yeah. S-sure. Meeting. Of course. Have fun." The redhead sputtered, the blush on her face returning with a vengeance.

"It was nice meeting you, Anna." Intrigue and wonder played on Elsa's shy smile. She couldn't help but find Anna..._fascinating_.

_Why is she so flustered?_ Elsa thought.

Usually, when placed in an awkward situation, Elsa would be the one panicking, her nerves shooting in every direction. But surprisingly so, she wasn't as shaken. Her heart was no longer running in a stampede and she wasn't deathly petrified. Anna had taken the blow and claimed all the awkwardness and dread all on her own. Puzzled and conflicted by these thoughts, Elsa found herself..._grateful_ to Anna. For the first time in so long, she found herself somewhat calm in the presence of another person. A stranger. It was a rare occurrence, and it was something Elsa found to be…refreshing.

Pause.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Anna asked hesitantly, she was gripping the edge of her shirt with both hands, her thumbs rubbing against each other. She wanted to slap herself for asking the same question over and over again, but that was all she can really come up with. She was tongue tied and caught off guard, being in front of Elsa was making her nervous and fidgety.

"I'm fine. Thank you." Elsa replied patiently, finding it hard to conceal her smile, which she tried to cover by placing a hand over her mouth. Anna's eyes widened and she flashed Elsa a goofy grin. Elsa chuckled and was about to say something when her cellphone started to buzz. There was an incoming call from Vanellope. _Shit._ "I really have to go," she told Anna apologetically, glancing at Anna and then at her phone.

"Okay," Anna replied, eyes flickering between Elsa and the phone in her hand. She scratched the back of her neck, her fingers digging deep through her skin. "I'll see you around, Elsa." Anna grinned nervously, wondering if Elsa can hear the somersaults her heart was currently doing.

Elsa nodded and gave Anna a shy lopsided smile. She raised her hand to give a small wave but hesitated, allowing it to close in on a fist as she lowered it down. "Goodbye, Anna." They looked at each other for a moment before Elsa turned her back and started to walk away. Anna watched Elsa's figure grow dim as she kept walking farther. When Elsa was no longer in sight, she let out her breath in a long sigh of relief.

She was holding her breath the whole time while she was watching Elsa leave.

Her hand reached into her pockets to retrieve her iPod, thankful when she saw that it didn't crack when it fell on the ground with her. When she connected her earphones back to the machine, she pressed "play". The Turtles happily continued their upbeat song; unaware of everything that just happened.

_When you're with me, baby, the skies will be blue for all my life…_

Anna tilted her head upwards, squinting, because of the sudden reappearance of the sun. Cotton-candy shaped clouds floated in the atmosphere, adding decorum and company to the vast and endless horizon. She closed her eyes and let the sun's warmth wash over her, allowing herself to clear her mind and breathe in fresh air. And when she opened them again, blue skies greeted her once again.

_Blue. Just like Elsa's eyes._


	5. Genesis

**Now Playing: Voxtrot / The Start Of Something**

* * *

"...And that's how I met Elsa." The redhead buried her head in her hands, trying hard to conceal the color that was creeping up to her face. She had just finished telling Kristoff the story about her encounter with the platinum blonde whom she met a few days ago. It was Saturday morning, and she was in IHOP with Kristoff, who was not a fan of the pancakes that were being served in what people thought to be the "best pancake place in the world." He didn't get it. The rugged blonde boy insisted that the pancakes in this place were made of paper and trash, and he refused to take part in any of it. But because this was Anna's favorite place to go to, he had no choice but to oblige and accompany his best friend while ordering nothing but coffee. Teal colored puppy eyes won him over, and he hated how they always convince him to do things he wasn't very fond of. He hated it even more that for the past two Saturdays, he's been finding himself in the same place and the same seat because of those very same eyes.

"I get it. You just made a fool of yourself in front of this chick. It happens, Anna." Kristoff shrugged nonchalantly, clearly unnerved by her story. "I mean you're not exactly the most graceful person out there." He traced the lip of his mug with an idle finger, brown eyes lazily resting on Anna's half eaten pancakes.

The restaurant was filled with senior citizens readying themselves with a hearty meal before "Bingo Day" in the neighboring recreational building. They were the same crowd the two best friends always found themselves eating with the past few mornings. Anna and Kristoff were out of place; what kind of college student would be up at nine in the morning on a Saturday? But Kristoff wasn't bothered by it and didn't mind one bit since he was apart from the usual noise and rowdiness he was always exposed to on a daily basis in campus, and he was sure Anna would know how he felt once she starts school soon. A little break from college life is nice. More time with Anna is also nice. The soft murmurs and distant conversations filled Kristoff and Anna's background, lulling them both to a tranquil and relaxed state. Although he didn't like the food or anything else they served besides the coffee, he did enjoy the laid-back and welcoming atmosphere.

Anna narrowed her eyes at Kristoff. "Listen, if you embarrassed yourself in front of a gorgeous girl, you would know exactly how I feel." She caught sight of Kristoff's mug and cringed. "And I made her spill her coffee on herself." The redhead groaned, pushing the plate of pancakes away from her while she leaned her head over the table, softly bashing it against it repeatedly.

The finger that was circling the coffee mug twitched. Kristoff quirked a curious brow at the forlorn girl in front of him. "Gorgeous girl? Don't tell me you have a crush on her."

"Don't be silly, Kristoff. I don't even know her and I've met her once." Anna lifted her head, frowned, and blew a raspberry at her best friend. "Just because I say someone's gorgeous it doesn't mean I immediately have a crush on them."

"Well, why would you say she's gorgeous then?

"Because she is? Doesn't mean I have a crush on her. God, what is this? Fourth grade?" Anna took a hard stab at her pancake and sliced a large piece haphazardly with her knife before shoving it in her mouth.

"I think you're bluffing."

"I think you're annoying." Anna said around a mouthful of pancake while pointing her fork at Kristoff. "What's it to you anyway?"

"Nothing. Forget it." Kristoff waved a hand dismissively. "Gosh, I can't make comments now?" He grumbled under his breath like a boy being scolded by his mother. "And those pancakes are disgusting. I don't understand why you insist on going here when I make you pancakes all the time." He waved an accusing finger at Anna and her blasphemous meal.

Anna shrugged in an I-don't-really-care manner. "I like IHOP. Deal with it. Besides, I know you're busy. I can't always come over so you can make me pancakes all the time." She took another bite and made a face, regretting the amount of maple syrup she poured over her stack of goodies. It was way too sweet.

Kristoff rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine. Did you buy books for your classes yet?"

Anna dropped her fork on her plate, its clanging sound making Kristoff wince. "Yes, I have!" She said excitedly, her face lit up with the realization that school is in a few days. "I bought second hand books online the moment the professors emailed the syllabus and I got them all for a really good price." She said proudly while crossing her arms over her chest.

"That's great!" Kristoff lifted his hand for a high five that Anna responded to happily. "I borrowed some of mine from Philip since he already took some of the classes I'm taking. And hey, imagine if-" Kristoff contemplated carefully before proceeding with his next words. He rubbed his chin and a mischievous grin rose from the corner of his lips. "Imagine what?" Anna asked.

"Imagine if Elsa goes to North Mountain University. That'll be interesting." The smile on Kristoff's face did not falter. "Very funny, Bjorgman." Anna replied tonelessly. "By the looks of it, that girl probably goes to an ivy league school or something. Or, she's probably not in school anymore." Anna blew on her fringe, she wanted to fix her ponytail but her hands were sticky from making contact with maple syrup. While she was talking to Kristoff earlier, her hands accidentally landed on her pancakes when she tried to demonstrate something she did to further elaborate her story and make it more animated. "She did say that she was going to a meeting, so she's probably some sort of CEO or manager or whatever." Anna rolled back her shoulders and slumped on her seat. It was almost 10:30 and she thought of calling the waiter over for their check.

"Ivy league? CEO? Manager?" Kristoff raised his brow skeptically. "Are you sure you don't know this girl? It seems like you got really chummy with her during that little encounter."

"Calm down. I was only making theories with the information she told me." The redhead said while raising her hands defensively. "Besides, North Mountain is a big school. And I don't think the gods hate me that much to mock me."

"Fair enough." Kristoff huffed.

"Yeah, yeah." Anna rolled her eyes. She raised her hand and caught the attention of the waiter who was smiling when he made his way to their table. She insisted on paying for both of their meals until Kristoff snatched her credit card from her hand and gave his own card to the waiter instead. The waiter chuckled at the adorable pair before walking away to get their bill. "This isn't fair." Anna said petulantly while glaring at Kristoff. "You're always paying for our meals."

"No big deal. Just buy me dessert later or something."

"Deal." Anna stood up from her seat; she walked behind Kristoff and wrapped her arms around him while resting her head on his shoulder. "Thanks for breakfast." Anna's breath ghosted over Kristoff's ear, making the blonde boy slightly shiver from the contact. He stiffened and patted Anna's hands awkwardly, quietly wondering why he still feels overwhelmed when Anna touches him since it was something she did often. Anna loved hugs and freely gave them to anyone even if they weren't so fond of them. One look at those big teal eyes and easy smile, you just can't resist and you find yourself hugging back. And wanting more. Once the redhead let go and returned to the opposite side of the table, Kristoff exhaled air that he didn't even know he was holding back. "You're welcome." Kristoff muttered as Anna playfully scrunched up his nose at him.

The pair exited the restaurant after the waiter handed Kristoff his credit card back. Anna's car was parked all the way on the opposite side of the street and they couldn't wait to get inside to the comfort of the air conditioner after being greeted by the scorching heat.

"So Anna…"

"Yeah?"

"Wanna go to the park?"

"Why? Can't you see how hot it is right now?" Anna asked her best friend quizzically.

"Maybe we'll bump into Elsa. No pun intended." Kristoff threw his head back and laughed.

Anna smacked Kristoff's arm, which really had no effect since it was like slapping a huge, immovable, and extremely tall tree. The football player laughed even more at Anna's feeble attempt and patted her head playfully.

"Don't get inside my car. You're walking."

Kristoff guffawed as he placed his arm around Anna's shoulder, leaning his face closer to hers. "Don't worry, if we ever see her again I'll make sure to hide you inside my pocket so she won't see you," he whispered conspiringly. Anna studied his face; his big brown eyes bore into hers. "You're an asshole." She whispered back. Kristoff laughed hysterically as he let go of Anna and made his way to the passenger side of the car. Anna sat on the driver's seat and turned the engine on.

_If I see her again? What are the odds of that?_

Kristoff, who suddenly turned on the radio, interrupted Anna's thoughts. She pouted, giving her best friend a side-glance. His eyes were closed, bobbing his head and singing in a low but clear voice the chorus to his and Anna's favorite song.

_Take me on back... take me back_

_to the place where I could feel your heart_

_Is this the end or just the start of something really, really beautiful_

_wrapped up and disguised as something really, really ugly?_

* * *

She envied the little girl that was smiling mirthfully right back at her. Her little face was smeared with residues of chocolate ice cream, yet she was without a care in the world and held onto the hand of a man whose eyes were closed while laughing zestfully, the corner of his eyes crinkling in delight. Elsa examined the girl thoughtfully and wondered what joke was shared between her and the man that caused him to laugh so gleefully. She wondered if it was something the little girl said or done that did the trick. Was it because of the silly way she smiled with all that ice cream on her face? Or was it because he suddenly remembered a funny scene from a television show he watched? She wanted to know if he ever laughed like that by himself when he found something amusing. Did he find the little girl with the lop-sided grin amusing? She wanted to hear the sound that comes out of his mouth when he's in the middle of giggling about something or just…anything. He looked so happy. Relaxed. She wanted to ask the girl, but she knew it was impossible. She knew the little girl no longer remembered.

Because Elsa no longer remembered.

It has been thirteen years since that photo has been taken and she longer knew what it was that made Walt Arendelle laughed.

The picture stood immaculate and timeless as Elsa's laptop desktop wallpaper. It was her eighth birthday and Walt had taken her to Oaken's Ice Cream Parlor, a local ice cream shop in Norway where they had been living at the time. The rest of the afternoon was spent on a carnival with just Elsa and Walt since Elsa didn't have a party because they had moved there just two days before her birthday; she hasn't started school yet and didn't have any friends to invite if said party was to take place. It was a simple and quiet afternoon, a day that was just like any other day. There was no ostentatious celebration and there were no extravagant gifts except the ones received from their maids (they baked her favorite cupcakes), her uncle (he gave her a white gold necklace that had a snowflake shaped pendant), and a couple of classic fairy tale books Walt had gotten for her.

Her birthdays before that and the ones that came after didn't mean much to Elsa. She particularly didn't like her birthday because she was convinced that Walt didn't like it, too, since he was barely ever there for any of them. But thirteen years ago, when she turned eight, her father spent the day with her and he was laughing. She wasn't alone with the maids and it wasn't a banquet filled with doctors who kept talking to Walt about surgeries and medicine while he completely forgets about her and focuses on work related things instead as she sat in a corner by herself with her untouched birthday cake.

Elsa realizes it now that he was probably available that whole afternoon that day so many years ago because a surgery might have been cancelled and he had some free time to spare. But the blonde refused to tamper this memory of that one perfect birthday with the harsh reality that it all happened by chance and not by choice. It was the one memory she held onto and pulled out on her bad days to remind her that there was a time when Walt laughed candidly and there was a possibility that she may have been the reason.

_I wonder if Mama... _

Elsa's musings were disrupted by the creaking sound of the door where two students made their entrance. She immediately recognized the short and plump boy, Marlin, by the orange fitted hat he always wore backwards. Beside him was his best friend, a tall and lanky girl named Dory, who was wearing eyeglasses with a roll of white tape in the middle to hold the frames together. Dory's choice of outfit for the day was a light blue shirt with the words "Fish Are Friends Not Food" written on it in white bold letters. She always wore shirts with slogans and sayings engraved on them. Elsa always looked forward to Dory coming in to class, especially with the shirts she wore because she found them to be eccentric and interesting at the same time. The duo smiled and waved at Elsa as they ascended the flight of stairs by the end of the hall to make their way to the very back of the room where they always sat. Elsa returned the gesture and returned her attention back to her laptop screen, this time logging on to her e-mail to see if she had received any important memos.

"So I'm thinking, maybe we should call Bruce later and tell him to meet us up for a game of charades?" Elsa overheard Dory ask Marlin excitedly as they settled on their seats.

"Yo, Elsa, wanna come play charades with us?" Dory's voice echoed throughout the lecture hall. Luckily, it was only the three of them that was there since they seem to be the only ones who came to class earlier than usual.

Marlin sighed wearily. "We all agreed to watching a movie just a few minutes ago, Dory. Please stick with the program." He replied flatly. "Elsa, we're watching a movie. Wanna come?" Marlin called out from the back of the room, the same reverberating effect of sound bounced through the walls.

"Oh! Right! Movie!" Dory chirped happily. Elsa paused and a small grin graced her face. She turned around, leaning her arm on top of her chair. "I'm sorry, guys." Elsa bit her lower lip, her eyebrows furrowing together. "I can't today." She smiled apologetically. Elsa was touched by the kind gesture and invitation, but she had a doctor's appointment to attend to in the afternoon. _I wonder when I'll stop going to these so I can actually hang out and be normal. _She thought to herself.

"That's okay, Elsa!" Marlin said encouragingly while giving Elsa a thumbs-up.

"There's always next time!" Dory chimed in. She took a quick glance at Marlin and imitated his hand gesture, a goofy smile plastered on her face.

She chuckled and smiled at the pair thankfully before turning her head back to her laptop. It fascinated her to see Marlin and Dory get along so well. They were inseparable although they were total opposites. Marlin was quiet and often serious, which was everything Dory was often not. Their conversation droned on and it eventually became distant and fragmented to Elsa as she found herself immersed in her laptop again. Delicate fingers hovered over the keyboard as she scanned the list of emails she had just received.

There was a message from Olaf that was sent at 6:10 AM:

_Hey pretty girl, here's an attachment of my itinerary. Did you clear your schedule yet? You work too much! See you in a week! _

-_Olaf _

Elsa clicked the file and looked through Olaf's flight schedule and the time he will be arriving in Revenland from Norway. Icy blue eyes scrutinized the e-mail; she wanted to make sure there were enough days to spend with her friend since it has been two years since she last saw him. She grabbed her book bag that was sitting on a chair next to her and fumbled through it to find her cellphone. One she found it, she pressed the white circular button at the bottom, causing it to come to life. Elsa squinted at the bright light and typed in her four-digit password.

_6262. _The only password she has ever used for her accounts that needed a code.

She went to her "Messages" icon and clicked on the top right, on the rectangular shaped box with a pencil drawn over it that prompted her to write a message. She paused for a few seconds, thinking of what to write.

_Hi, Vanellope._ She started. _Good morning. How are you? I hope all is well. I'm just wondering…how many meetings do I have lined up next week? Could you please check for me if that's okay with you?_

Sent.

Elsa drummed her fingers on the wooden desk, her other hand holding onto the cellphone, waiting for Vanellope's reply. _I'll cancel therapy for next week since I went twice last week already. _Her phone buzzed a few minutes later. One text message from Vanellope Von Schweetz.

_Good morning, Elsa. I am looking at the computer right now and it says that you only have two meetings next week. They're on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Thurs: 4PM with a rep from Notre Dame Pharmaceuticals. It's a presentation about their new advanced asthma inhaler. Fri: 9:30AM with Dr. Woody Davis and Dr. Buzz Lightyear from Pixar Pediatric Hospital. Not really a meeting, they just a want to take a look at the Arendelle peds wing. Walt thought it would be a good idea for you to be acquainted with them so he asked me to schedule you as their tour guide or something. What's up? _

Elsa worried her lower lip. Her thumbs hung idle over the cellphone screen, waiting for her brain to come up with the next words that they will be typing. Once she was sure of what she wanted to say, she typed her response and clicked the "send" button.

_Do you think you can reschedule and ask them to come the week after instead if it's not troublesome? I have something personal to attend to and I need the whole week off…_

Sent.

She then placed the phone against her laptop screen, turning her head to the door where she saw the professor walking in along with other students. Behind the professor was Eric, whispering something to his girlfriend Ariel, who was laughing while clutching his arm. Aurora entered next, yawning, with a cup of coffee in her hand. It was already eight-fifty, and students started to pile up to head to their seats. Soft chattering and footsteps squeaking through the floor filled the once silent classroom she shared with Dory and Marlin a few minutes ago.

Elsa was biting her thumb anxiously, her eyebrows mashed together in anticipation. _Vanellope, please make it work._

As she was praying to the gods for a miracle, her phone started to vibrate, notifying her of the secretary's reply. She took a glimpse at the professor who had his back facing the blackboard; he was in the middle of writing the class agenda for the day. When it was safe for her to read the message, Elsa took her phone and placed her hand underneath the table covertly. She ducked her head down and opened the message, a wide grin forming on her face when she read the reply.

_Sure thing, Elsa! I'll inform them about the schedule change. Don't worry about it. I'll let you know your new schedule after I arrange it with them. The Notre Dame and the Pixar guys are really nice. Met with them a few times. Just enjoy your week, okay?_

A sigh of relief escaped Elsa's lips. She thanked Vanellope and tossed her phone back inside her bag. The grateful girl started to contemplate ways to thank the secretary for all her work and effort. _I'm gonna ask Remy to prepare breakfast for her and leave it on her desk tomorrow before she comes in. Hmm…does she like flowers? _Elsa pulled her laptop closer to her, looking up to see if the professor was finished with what he was writing and then she opened a new file on Microsoft Word just in case she needed to take notes. She also clicked on the Internet browser, logging onto her account again to reply to Olaf's previous email. Elsa took another glance at the professor, making sure that he hasn't started the lecture just yet. When she was in the clear, she started to compose her reply to her friend.

Dory started to chortle in the back that caused a couple of students to turn their heads questioningly to her direction to see what was going on. Marlin was trying desperately to shush her, his arms flailing in front of her face in attempt to stop her sudden outburst. "Sorry!" Dory yelped, her laughter stopping abruptly. Finding nothing funny in particular, the curious bystanders turned their attention back to their professor who was oblivious to what just happened as he continued to write on the board.

Elsa was too engrossed and focused on her laptop that she didn't pay attention to the sudden distraction or notice the door fly open as a tardy student passed her by, hurried footsteps making their way to the middle row to an empty seat next to a blonde girl whose eyes were glued on her laptop, browsing the shoes section of the Saks Fifth Avenue website.

_I would text you right now, but I'm in class. But I have great news! _Elsa pressed each key slowly to avoid the clacking sound her keyboard made whenever she typed fast.

A satisfied half grin crossed the platinum blonde's lips, the feeling of gratitude returning to her again as she remembered Vanellope and what she has done to make her time with Olaf longer. _I'm totally taking her on a shopping spree. _She stopped typing for a moment when the word "shopping" suddenly reminded her of freckles, coffee-soaked shoes and ocean green eyes. Her mind wandered back to the flustered girl whom she crashed into a few days ago as she remembered seeing white running shoes saturated in brown liquid. _I wonder if she bought new sneakers..._

_Anna Fjell-something. What was her last name again?_

Shaking her head to rid herself of her trail of thoughts, she then turned her gaze to the professor just in time for him to turn around and face the class. "Good morning, everyone." Professor John Lasseter said with a warm smile painted on his face. He clapped his hands together to rid them of chalk marks before raising a finger to push his glasses up his nose to a more comfortable position. Elsa acknowledged the professor by smiling at his direction. She then continued typing her message, this time in a hurry so she can give him her attention.

_Vanellope cleared my schedule for next week. We'll have more time together!_

"Today, we will be discussing a young adult novel by an author named John Green." A student screamed a fervent "Yes!" upon hearing the professor's words.

"I know it sounds so easy and it may not seem very college material," Professor Lasseter chuckled, raising a hand signaling the students to refrain from speaking. "We will be exploring mainstream literature and how it is reaching younger and older demographics." He scratched his forearm and looked to the class. "You will write a paper about it. I want to see your writing style and how you formulate your thoughts." The professor quietly walked to the front of his desk and leaned against it, his arms folded and his legs crossed together.

_I have reservations to Ralph's Steakhouse. Actually, Vanellope was kind enough to make calls for me the last minute. The waiting list is crazy! If it weren't for her, we'd be waiting six months to get inside that place. I'm thinking of bringing her with us._ Elsa pursed her lips in hesitation._ Is that okay with you? _

"But as we progress, the books will get harder as you have seen on your syllabus. The writing assignments will also be harder. So why not start with something everyone seems to know about to get everyone started?" He quirked an eyebrow, asking no one in particular. "Now, I assume that you have read your assigned chapters for today's lecture. Who wants to go first and share his or her thoughts?" The professor scanned the room for any takers; he smiled encouragingly to urge the students to engage in conversation.

A boy from the back raised his hand and the professor pointed at him in acknowledgment, listening to his answer with beaming eyes. The rest of the class lazily sat back and watched the encounter between the professor and the eager student. Some began to surf the Internet and their Tumblrs with their laptops wide open. Dory and Marlin were playing Angry Birds with their phones hidden beneath their desks. Aurora had her head down, sleeping soundlessly behind Shang, who had a tall and bulky figure that acted as a shield to prevent her from being seen by the professor. It was early in the morning and no one seemed to be awake enough to participate.

"Fucking Wi-Fi is lagging again," Cindy murmured under her breath in frustration. "How the hell am I gonna order these shoes now?" She asked her laptop screen miserably, newly trimmed eyebrows notching in a frown. The girl beside her turned her head sideways to Cindy and leaned over hesitantly to take a look at the screen, her eyes flickering between the laptop and the professor to make sure they don't draw his attention.

"Have you tried refreshing the page?" The girl asked in a hushed voice.

"Yeah, many times." Cindy replied exasperatedly while opening another tab. "Thanks, though." She gave the girl a small smile and continued to look through the Saks Fifth website while using another browser. The girl smiled tentatively and returned her focus back to the professor who was discussing Pug and Alaska's relationship with another student.

Elsa decided that this was not a topic that she wanted to engage in since she read "Looking For Alaska" a dozen times already. She found the book to be a light read, and she was relieved since she knew the material well enough to take it easy and not stress over the paperwork and class discussion.

_Do you think you can bring me some krumkake? BETTER YET… we can make some! _She typed, excitement brewing inside her. Elsa was only giving half of her attention to the professor and the student who were talking, listening to tidbits of their discussion as she continued typing her message.

"Great answer, Felix." The professor praised the student for giving an eloquent response. "Now, who can tell me their first impression of Alaska?" Lasseter surveyed the room once again in anticipation when a timid hand shot up in the air from the middle row. "Ah, yes! Thank you!" He excitedly pointed at the student who volunteered to answer.

"But wait," Lasseter paused, a crease forming on his forehead. He walked closer to the center of the class to take a closer look at the girl who raised her hand. He squinted his eyes and adjusted his glasses with both hands. "Are you new in this class? I haven't seen you before." He inquired amusedly.

"Yes, I'm a transfer student. Today's my first day." The girl replied shyly; an angry shade of red dusted her cheeks as she shifted in her seat awkwardly. Students turned their heads to her direction, curious to see who the new girl was. _Shit, why did I have to raise my stupid hand? Now everyone's looking at me. _

Elsa was unfazed. She was in the middle of listing things she wanted Olaf to buy for her from Norway and couldn't be bothered by all the commotion. Intense blue eyes darted back and forth to the words written on her computer screen.

_Krumkake ingredients. Lutefisk (?). Melkesjokolade. Melkerule. Hmm…hva annet? Kanskje kjeks? What do you think?_

"What's your name, dear?" Lasseter stroked his chin wonder.

The girl gulped and shifted in her seat again. She tucked her hair behind her ear, the blush on her face increasing by the second. Professor Lasseter clasped his hands together, his full attention now focused on the girl. He nodded encouragingly for her to speak, the smile on his face wide and welcoming.

Another nervous gulp. "I'm Anna. Anna Fjellheim."

_Okay, I'm gonna end my e-mail here! I'll talk to you laterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr_

Elsa froze as her finger jammed hard at the 'R' key. She couldn't believe her ears. _Anna Fjellheim._

Yes, she heard her loud and clear. Loud enough for her to snap her neck backwards and spot the redhead immediately amidst the students separating them. There she was, a row away from her, wearing a plain red shirt that matched her equally red face. A sharp gasp escaped Elsa's throat as her jaw dropped in utter disbelief, her breath hitching when Anna caught her staring at her with eyes widened like they have seen a ghost. Shocked blue eyes were met by ocean green eyes who were as big as plates. Anna's eyebrows shot up to her hairline, an enormous "O" forming on her mouth. She immediately recognized Elsa, those platinum blonde locks and those disarming blue eyes. Anna felt the blood drain from her face and the sudden quickening of her pulse.

There was a shared silence between Anna and Elsa as they registered each other's faces. The students around them took one look at Anna and went back to whatever it was that they were doing prior to checking out the new student. But it took more than one look for Elsa. The blonde felt her face grow hot; she clutched her chest and felt the rapid beating of her heart. She abruptly turned her head back to the front of the room, the blush on her face increasing in color and temperature.

Anna clamped her mouth shut and diverted her gaze back to the professor who was oblivious of her encounter with Elsa. Her throat was suddenly dry; she swallowed hard, still speechless from her recent revelation. _Is this really happening right now?_

_I am in Elsa Arendelle's class. Elsa. That girl from the park. Gorgeous Elsa. Elsa freaking Arendelle. _

Lasseter was leaning on his desk, scribbling Anna's name on his attendance sheet. He looked up and smiled at the redhead.

"Welcome to Honors English class, Miss Fjellheim."


	6. Blueprint

**A/N: **Okay so, 102 followers? WOW. JUST. WOW. Thank you. I mean, really. I'm utterly flattered and humbled and it's not something that I have ever dared to imagine—people actually checking this story out. I'm glad that you guys are enjoying this little adventure. This is my first fanfic ever and I'm not really a writer. I'm just expressing my intense love for Elsanna because this duo is just so absolutely perfect and beautiful. Thank you for the "likes" and the "reviews," and even if you don't "follow" the story and you're just passing by, I'm still super stoked and super grateful that you're here looking at this. Once again, thank you. You are all wonderful and I wish you well.

I do have a Tumblr and it is: **weowned8000saladplates**

Feel free to check it out for random crap or just for the plethora of Elsa and Anna posts. You can also send me messages if you would like. Have a wonderful day.

* * *

_Skipping beats, blushing cheeks...I am struggling_  
_Daydreaming, bed scenes in the corner café_  
_And then I'm left in bits, recovering tectonic tremblings_  
_You get me every time_

_Why d'ya have to be so cute?_  
_It's impossible to ignore you..._

**Now Playing: Imogen Heap / Say Goodnight And Go**

* * *

Anna was restless and could barely focus during class lecture. She kept fidgeting in her seat, her eyes unfocused and bouncing back and forth to the professor and the crown of platinum blonde hair belonging to a girl that sat with perfect posture a few seats away from her. Elsa Arendelle was indeed in her class, breathing the same air she was breathing in the same room. This reality engulfed her with an unexpected and overwhelming feeling of nervousness that was tinged with unexplainable and mellow excitement. The moment those icy blue eyes recognized her, she felt something strange stir within her that she could not put into words.

_Do I say hello?_

Professor Lasseter droned on with his lecture about Alaska Young and Miles Halter, blind and unaware of Anna's internal battle and monologue. The redhead shook her head in an attempt to discard her distracting thoughts so she can pay attention in class. She pulled out a pen from her shirt pocket and wrote her name on her loose leaf notebook, suddenly pausing in the middle of writing today's date as she noticed a strand of red thread dangling around the pen. Careful fingers lifted the piece of string as curious teal eyes wondered where it came from.

_Oh. It's probably from my shirt. Wait, wasn't Elsa wearing red that day we met?_

She peeled her eyes from her notebook and rested them on the back of Elsa's head once again.

_Is her hair always this perfect?_

_Okay, I'm gonna go say "hello" after class. _

Twenty minutes had gone by and the professor gave his last remarks before ending the lecture. The sound of students standing up from their seats and moving around to gather their things filled the room before they streamed through the main entrance to make their exit. Anna was already standing up, her book bag already slung over her shoulder. She was gripping the strap tightly, sweat seeping through the cotton material that encompassed the bag. She looked over at Elsa and saw the blonde stand up and scoop a handful of textbooks over her chest as Professor Lasseter approached her.

Step.

_I'm gonna say "hi" after they're done chatting._

She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Elsa laugh at something the professor said, the corner of her eyes crinkling and her nose scrunching up in a way that made Anna tense up as if she was electrocuted, the sudden halt in the rhythmic movement of her heart causing it to miss a beat. A sudden rush of red coated her cheeks, melting away whatever courage she has summoned to help her with what she was about to do.

_Okay, here goes nothing._

Anna hoisted her bag as she descended down the steps, ducking her head down deliberately as she bolted out the door as if the classroom was suddenly set on fire.

_Screw this._

The building had a plethora of students purposely finding their way to their next classes, some walked alone while others walked in groups and chattered amongst themselves. Anna was speed walking, aimlessly threading her way through the hallway without a clue as to where she was going. She glanced to her side and didn't notice the massive figure walking towards her. Anna yelped, suddenly finding herself wrapped around Kristoff's huge arms.

"Damn it, Kristoff!" Anna gasped, a hand flew over her chest to stop her heart from jumping out of her ribcage.

Kristoff chuckled, releasing her from his grip. "Whoa there, feisty pants. Crashing into people is really an expertise of yours, I see."

Anna stared at him. "This is all your fault," the redhead pounded his chest with tightly balled fists, the flush on her face returning. "You jinxed me. _Elsa Arendelle is in my class!_" Anna screeched unattractively.

"Wait, what?" Kristoff had his hands up defensively, backing away to avoid Anna's punches. "Hold up, are you serious?" He asked incredulously, his eyebrows mashing together.

"Yes! She's in my English class. It's her." Anna said exasperatedly, her hands uncoiling, realizing that her blows did nothing to harm Kristoff in any way. At all. She stepped back to look at her friend helplessly while tapping her knuckles together.

Kristoff could not believe his ears; a small grin crept to his face that slowly grew into a cheek-splitting smile. The blonde boy rested his hands on his hips, tilting his head to the side, amused by Anna's strange uneasiness. "Well, did you come up to her? I'm sure she would be so pleased to…bump into you again." He bit the tip of his tongue to prevent the downpour of laughter that was ready to burst out of his mouth.

"No," Anna deadpanned, resisting the urge to punch him in the face instead. "She did see me but…I ran away. There's just something about her and it's just _hard_ to come up to her. I don't know why." She trailed off, her eyes falling to her side.

"You _ran _away?" Kristoff laughed, much to Anna's dismay. He threw his head back just in time to spot a figure over Anna's shoulder causing him to quickly halt his banter. The blonde boy gulped nervously. "Anna?" he asked in a hushed voice. Anna raised an eyebrow questioningly. "What? What's the matter?"

"Did Elsa wear her hair in a braid today?"

"Yeah, why?"

Kristoff's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his eyes widening like saucers. "Does she have uhm…blue eyes?"

Anna's forehead creased deeply, wondering if she has told Kristoff that much detail about Elsa's appearance.

"Yeah, why?"

"Is she tall and pale and…incredibly attractive?"

"Yeah…_why? _Kristoff blushed as he cleared his throat, his gaze still hanging over Anna's shoulder.

"I have stuff to do. Gotta go. Bye." Kristoff muttered as he briskly walked away and made a turn at the corner, leaving Anna dumbfounded and furiously calling after him.

"Just so you know, you can't run away this time!" He heard Kristoff shout back before laughing uproariously as he faded away.

_Wait, what?_

"Kristoff Bjorgman, I am Anna Fjellheim and you can't just walk away from me like that! That is so _rude_, where do you think you're go—"

"Hi."

A soft and gentle voice coming from behind interrupted her unladylike ranting. A new understanding dawned on the redhead as her eyes slowly grew wider; finally understanding why Kristoff left with a sly grin on his stupid face. Her mouth moved uselessly, unable to form words after registering what her current predicament could be. Blood roared in Anna's ears, causing them to turn crimson red as her heart started to beat against her chest like it was attempting to escape. She bit her lower lip, gripping the strap of her bag as she slowly turned around to the source of the faint greeting.

Anna found herself face to face with Elsa Arendelle.

_Just so you know, you can't run away this time!_

The blonde was dressed in a navy blue business suit, exquisitely custom design to complement her features. Black five-inch heels graced her feet, making her tower over Anna. Elsa had her hair down in a single braid that rested over her shoulder, the tip of it resembling a paintbrush; her pale cheeks were painted with a soft glow of red. Icy blue eyes stood stark in contrast to the white-painted walls surrounding them; they shone brightly like orbs illuminating darken skies.

The shorter girl did everything in her power to stop her jaw from dropping. Anna paused, hoping to sound intelligible before attempting to open her mouth to say something but failed miserably in the process.

"H-hi! Hi me? Oh. Hi, Elsa!" Anna blurted out in an unusually high-pitched voice.

_Fuck. My. Life._

"You remember my name?" Surprised flashed through Elsa's face, causing Anna to shove her hands in her pockets, her hands balling into fists inside them.

"Of course I remember you! And your name. It's a unique name. A very _gorgeous_ name." Anna exclaimed, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment at her poor choice of words. "Thank you," Elsa smiled shyly, the tinge of red on her face darkening. She drew in a breath as she clutched her books tighter against her chest, wishing she had placed them inside her book bag so she can fold her hands together like she always did when talking to people. Many years of public speaking lessons did not easily sever her reticent and self-conscious mannerisms. Elsa has always been soft-spoken and fidgety around people. She was used to being flustered by others, not the other way around. Even so, she still found herself a bit anxious.

But here was Anna Fjellheim, red as a beet and rocking back on her heels. Anna Fjellheim who said her name was gorgeous. Anna Fjellheim who crossed her mind everyday since that day they've met in the park. Awkward, antsy, teal-eyed, freckled-face Anna Fjellheim.

"So…you're new to the school?" Elsa took a step back after realizing how close they were. Anna followed her lead by shifting her body away a few inches to increase their distance.

"Yeah! I'm originally from Weselton University in the Southern Isles. But that school wasn't really my first choice and North Mountain is. I got the call a few weeks back saying that they have a spot for me here since some student dropped out the last minute. So, I packed my stuff and I left. My new apartment is only a few minutes away from here and—" Anna trailed off, realizing that she was rambling and was giving way too much irrelevant information to a simple question. Elsa could care less about her life story and she probably thought that she was a weirdo_. Way to go, motor mouth. _

"Sorry, didn't mean to ramble. But small world, eh? Heh." Anna murmured, heat and color reappearing on her face once again. She dropped her eyes to her shoes and adjusted her book bag over her shoulder, hesitant to speak another word in fear of going off in a tangent again.

Elsa shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her fingers gently tapping the back of her textbook that she was hugging tightly.

"Yeah…small world_." A very small, unexpected, whimsical world indeed. _

"Do you like it here so far?" Elsa asked tentatively to lighten the atmosphere. Something she was not used to doing or initiating.

"Y-yeah!" Anna blurted, surprised that Elsa was still talking to her. "Well, English was my first class, but I like the campus so far."

_English class…where we totally saw each other and I totally dodged you._

She held back a flinch as she remembered how idiotic she was from running away from what seemed to be a really nice person. Elsa probably remembered it too, seeing her and being so caught off guard, because they stood there for what seemed like minutes and just stared at each other.

Anna's pulse vibrated within her ears._ Why do I find her so intimidating? She seems apprehensive, too…_

Elsa was the one who broke eye contact first. She lowered her eyes to her books, a light frown staining her features.

"I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but…I have to get to class."

"C-class? Right! I have to do that too." Anna forced a nervous laughter as she ran a hand over her hair. She then pulled out a sheet of paper from her back pocket and clumsily unfolded it. Teal eyes scrutinized the campus map as Elsa watched her wordlessly, wondering what she was doing.

"Uhm, Elsa…do you know where Room A113 is? This map is confusing."

"What? Oh." Elsa realized what Anna was looking at and she moved closer to her side to peak through the paper, leaving just enough gap in between them for personal space.

"Let's see," Elsa said clinically while surveying the map. "You have to get outside of this building and head inside the Fredriksen Architectural Hall and make your way to the third floor. You're gonna see the statues of two elderly couple holding balloons and that's when you know you're in the right place. Wait, you're an architecture major?" Elsa turned her head to the side to face Anna, momentarily forgetting her tact as she asked her colloquially with genuine curiosity attached to her voice.

"Yeah, I want to design skyscrapers someday." Anna looked at Elsa. "Well, that's the goal. My mom and dad are really happy that I'm doing what I want." She said gratefully, taking a mental note to call her parents later to see how they were doing,

"I see." Elsa replied quietly, her voice and her eyes suddenly distant. "It must be nice doing something that you love."

"What about you? What are you studying?" Anna asked in return.

"Pre-med."

Anna registered the sudden change in Elsa's demeanor, but it disappeared just as fast at it came. She had wanted to ask more but opted against it, seeing as to how close-ended Elsa's answer was. Before she can recalculate her thoughts, the blonde shuffled her books, ready to walk away and head to class.

"It was nice seeing you again, Anna." Elsa switched back to being formal and cautious, making Anna wonder if she had said something to slight the girl. But before Anna can silently start chastising herself, Elsa gave her a small smile.

"I guess I'll see you in class tomorrow?" The blonde said, blue eyes zeroing in on Anna's face, knocking the air out of her. The startled redhead started to blush profusely again, much to her chagrin. _I will never get used to this at all. _Elsa's eyes slightly widened at the sight of Anna's crimson face, but she quickly rebounded, her fingernails digging through her textbook.

"Y-yeah! I'll see you!" Anna stammered. Elsa nodded before walking past her to make her way to the classroom that was located a few feet away from where they were standing. Once again, just like before, Anna watched her leave.

_3….2….1….breathe._

* * *

"Do you like fish and all other forms of sea and land creatures?"

"Uhm, yes, I do like the ocean and—"

"Are you an advocate of animal rights?"

"Of course! My best friend has a dog named Sven! I have one, too! His name is Dug but he's back in the Southern—"

"Do you like playing charades?"

"I guess so, I like playing games! It's one of my favo—"

"Are you my conscience?"

"Wait, _what_?"

"Dory!" Marlin snapped at the lanky girl whose arms were folded over her chest, scrutinizing a confused and nervous redhead sitting in front of them like a detective examining a suspicious fingerprint. "Don't scare her off. Stick with the basic questions." The boy with the bright orange fitted cap scolded his best friend while he pulled a chair from one of the desks to sit opposite of Anna.

"We're just messing with you, Anna." The boy chuckled lightly, a tiny smirk curling on his lips. "We usually come to class before everyone else does and I guess we just got carried away because someone new is here."

"Why do you guys come to class so early?" She started, feeling a little bit more comfortable after sensing that Dory and Marlin were simply trying to be friendly. She was actually thankful for being approached—though bombarded with eccentric questions—she wanted the company since the only person she knew in school so far were Kristoff and Elsa. Anna didn't think that the latter counted since they weren't exactly friends nor did she find herself as someone Elsa would acquaint herself with since she was just so awkward unlike the elegant, sophisticated, well-dressed, attract—

"Well, we like going to class early so we can have the best seats," Marlin pointed a finger to the back of the room. "Dory likes to nap sometimes and I need to play my games. Now, if you want to sit there with us, you have to come early, too. But bring your own entertainment." He said smugly as he looked around the room like a pirate overlooking the ocean while standing on the deck of his ship.

"You guys don't like this class?" Anna asked in a small voice, hoping she wouldn't offend the duo. She tapped her knuckles anxiously somewhat expecting Marlin to scream at her.

"It's a pre-requisite for all honors students from all departments so we're pretty much forced to be here. It's our last year and we decided to take this class during our final semester because it's supposed to be the easiest." Marlin turned his cap around so the brim was facing the front, an image of the Australian flag sewn on it. "I think there are mostly seniors here. I don't really like this class. Dory and I just ask Elsa for help." He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Oh yeah! Elsa!" Dory chimed in excitedly. "She usually comes to class really early, too. She's really nice but awfully shy." She scratched her head and flashed Anna a grin. "But she's good people! She'll be here in a few minutes!"

_Yeah, awfully shy._

"You know Elsa, right"? Marlin asked. "I saw you talking to her outside of class yesterday."

"E-Elsa?" Anna stammered, a blush forming on her cheeks. "We met already." She replied quickly, not wanting to get into the details as to how she met the blonde unconventionally and in the most awkward way possible. Anna blanched at the memory, refraining from telling Marlin and Dory about their first _and_ second encounter.

"Oh, cool."

"That's awesome."

Anna was relieved that they didn't ask any more questions and took no notice of her suddenly flushed face. "So anyway, Dory and I could care less about this class and Elsa fills us in with her detailed review notes." The redhead started to frown, uneasy with how she wanted to proceed with the conversation. "Don't think we're taking advantage of her!" Dory exclaimed, sensing Anna's hesitation. "We give her something back in return."

"It's a trade system that we proposed to her when Dory and I realized that we were not going to pay that much attention here. We've been doing it since last semester." Marlin raised an eyebrow haughtily; his brunette locks sweeping his forehead.

"A trade system?" Anna asked, growing more confused.

"She gives us her notes and we lend her video games in return." Marlin said casually, as if what he just said made perfect sense and needed no further explanation.

"_Video games_?" Anna was having a hard time processing this information. The blonde didn't strike her as someone who sat idly on the couch on a lazy Saturday afternoon, screaming at characters on the television screen while pounding her fingers aggressively on a controller. But then again, she knew so little about Elsa.

She knew nothing about Elsa at all.

_Does she play The Last Of Us? Resident Evil? Grand Theft Auto? Uncharted?...Call of Duty?_

"Oh no, not those kind of video games." Dora waved a hand dismissively as if reading Anna's thoughts. "She only plays _The Sims_. You know, the one where you build houses and create your own family to play god something."

Anna was familiar with the franchise but it didn't really pique her interest since she was more adept in playing survival horror games. But she knew there were no violence and gore involved in The Sims and it seemed to be more fitting to the likes of Elsa.

"She's really into architecture stuff. I've seen some of the things she drew last semester and boy, she's really good. I used to sit next to her in Anatomy and Physiology II and I'd watch her draw pretty houses during our boring lectures." Dory exclaimed in awe and admiration. "So I thought, 'Hey, The Sims would be perfect for her to just tinker with and create stuff!' Marlin, remember that ice palace sketch she made that time we were waiting for Professor DunBroch?"

"Ah, Elinor DunBroch," Marlin said with disdain in his voice. "That lady gave me such a hard time with attendance. Who the hell would be on time at seven forty-five in the morning on a Monday? And Tuesday? And Wednesday? I understand ten o'clock like right now in this class. But seven forty-five" He asked bitterly. "I remember that day. I think Merida punched someone in the face and she had to go do damage control since her daughter goes to this school." Anna and Dory looked at each other, not really knowing how to respond.

"But yes, I did see that ice palace drawing." Marlin continued when the two girls didn't comment. "Elsa makes some really cool shit and she doesn't really like showing it to people. Which reminds me, I have to give her something." He shrugged, pulling his cellphone from his pocket to check the time.

There was a comfortable silence shared between the three as they all settled down in the back of the class. Anna had originally planned on sitting in the middle row like she did last time, but Dory and Marlin invited her to sit with them instead which she gladly obliged to. She had come to class early because she didn't want to be late again and have the professor think she was irresponsible and disinterested in being in his lectures.

Although Dory and Marlin claimed to be obligated to be in this class, at least they showed up early and had someone give them notes whenever they decided to sleep or not show up at all. Being an "A" student in her previous college and a candidate for the honors society, Anna, who was a sophomore, was mandated to take an English Honors session anytime inside her remaining two years in North Mountain University as a school requirement. Unlike Dory, Marlin, and Elsa who were seniors and opted to fulfill this course in their final semester, Anna had decided to do it now so she can focus more on her other major-related courses later on.

The three chatted about random stuff within the twenty minutes that they were alone. Marlin and Dory asked about Anna and the Southern Isles and why she had decided to transfer here. Marlin told her about her twin brother, Nemo, who was away in Australia to study Ocean Exploration and that he missed him very much and couldn't wait to see him in a few months. Dory mentioned the new song that she had just finished writing called "Just Keep Swimming" and that she would gladly let Anna hear it. Anna grew more comfortable as she smiled and laughed with the two whom she found to be really delightful and welcoming people. But during their conversation, she found herself occasionally glancing at door to check if Elsa already arrived, but the blonde was not present.

When Dory and Marlin found themselves in the middle of a heated argument about their Animal Avengers club and some policy that was supposedly breached by one of their members, Anna tuned them out and sat quietly while watching the classroom main entrance. She blew on her fringe, teal eyes lazily tracing the pattern of the lacquered wood that made the door. _Where is she? _She allowed her thoughts to wander off to Elsa and how she looked when she saw her in class; those big blue eyes and the way her mouth was parted in surprise. She wondered why she was a pre-med major when Dory and Marlin said she was exceptionally good at drawing and showed extreme talent in design.

_I wonder if drawing is one of her hobbies?_

The main door entrance creaked open, disrupting Anna's thoughts when the object of her musings made its way to the classroom. Teal eyes that were fixated on the door followed the crown of platinum blonde that made its way to the front aisle. Elsa automatically looked to the back of the room, expecting Marlin and Dory to be there and was taken aback when she saw Anna sitting with them. She gave a small wave to the group, hesitating whether she should sit down or approach them. Marlin was already on his feet, walking to where Elsa was while leaving Dory and a blushing redhead behind.

"Hi, Elsa!" Dory yelled from the back of the room. Elsa smiled at her and waved back, catching a glimpse of Anna.

"Elsa! Glad you're here! You've met Anna, right?" Marlin asked, an easy smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Elsa looked over her shoulder and caught Anna staring at her. When Anna met those blue eyes, she shrunk in her seat in an attempt to hide from being caught red-handed. But realizing that the ground won't be open any time soon to swallow her whole, Anna smiled awkwardly and gave Elsa a small wave, which the blonde returned tentatively.

"Yes, we met already. How are you today, Marlin?" Elsa turned her face back to Marlin and smiled at him politely. She placed her book bag down on her desk, the heavy books it contained making a soft "thud" sound after meeting the wooden surface.

"Good, good. I have something for you. Forgot to give it the other day." The boy grinned sheepishly. "Dory! Anna! Come down here for a sec, will ya? And can one of you please grab my bag?"

"You have something for me?" Elsa asked with her hands clasped in front of her, her head tilting to the side. Dory and Anna made their way down from the back; Anna was clutching Marlin's book bag like she was hanging onto dear life all the while avoiding eye contact with the blue-eyed girl. The two stood beside Marlin who sat relaxed on the desk next to Elsa's. Anna gave him his bag and he unzipped it to retrieve a small box wrapped in a plastic film that had "The Sims City" written on it with colorful pictures of animated buildings and cars drawn all over.

"Dory and I traded some of our old games for this so you can go check it out." He handed the box to Elsa and the blonde took it gingerly, her eyes widening and a huge grin erupting from her face. "Are you guys sure? This is too much!" Elsa said breathlessly, her fingers tracing the outline of the drawings. "Don't be silly, Arendelle. Take it. It's yours." Marlin clicked his tongue, a soft chuckle escaping his lips when he saw how happy Elsa was. "They have new features and I can't wait for you to see it!" Dory blurted out excitedly.

Anna was silently watching the interaction between the three and took notice of how different Elsa looked when she smiled in genuine delight, not reserved and stiff like she did when they met. Cerulean orbs sparkled and shone brighter; she looked absolutely ethereal, so childlike and utterly captivating. Her eyes wandered around Elsa's face, stealing furtive glances while she can since she was still talking to Marlin_. _

_She's so beautiful. She should smile like that more often._

"I don't know what to say. Thank you so much, I will repay you and—"

"Elsa. Stooooop." Dory groaned.

"Arendelle, zip it." Marlin said in a low voice.

"Okay, I'm sorry. It's just that you guys are so nice to me and I want to—"

"I have an idea!" Dory suddenly yelped, causing the three to jump in surprise. "Since Anna's new and she's gonna be coming to class early from now on," She smiled brightly and winked at the redhead beside her as if they shared a secret. Anna smiled back, confused. _Wait. Does she expect me to come to class "early from now on?" This is a one-time thing! I can't wake up this early all the time! Is this a "thing" now? Mornings aren't exact—_

"The _four_ of us should have breakfast this week. It's a nice change of view and it's not like we do anything productive while waiting for class to start. Well, maybe except you." She pointed a finger at Elsa. "But when was the last time you've hung out with us, Arendelle?" Dory drew her eyebrows together, feigning a stern and accusing expression.

"Yeaaaaaah," Marlin agreed, imitating Dory's accusatory stance. "You never hang out with us anymore. The last time we went out was last semester and you always had to leave early. I won't take "no" as an answer this time." He pouted and stubbornly folded his arms across his chest.

"Elsa, you're not even in med school yet and you're already so busy. I know you have responsibilities outside of campus, but it's nice to just relax for a bit." Dory said while touching Elsa's arm. "Besides, we miss you."

As if suddenly realizing that Anna was with them, Marlin jumped from the desk he was sitting on and pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "And look, Anna's coming with us. Right Anna? Right." The redhead let out a small squeak and stiffened at Marlin's touch, growing increasingly flustered by being a few inches away from Elsa.

Elsa and Anna exchanged glances. The expression on Elsa's face was unreadable as she studied the girl whose gaze met hers.

_She sure does have a lot of freckles…_

"Uhm—" Anna dropped her eyes to the floor and started to wring her hands as heat began to blossom on her face. "You should come with us, Elsa. It'll be fun." She mumbled. Anna dared to look up and was met by a different girl. The expressionless pale-skinned blonde suddenly switched to a deer caught in headlights with a face as red as a rose. Dory and Marlin watched the whole thing unwind before them and they gave each other a knowing look. Dory wiggled her eyebrows while Marlin smirked deviously, his eyes roving back and forth to Elsa and Anna.

"Come on, Elsa. You can go pick the place." Marlin interjected, breaking the tension between the two.

Elsa pulled her lower lip in between her teeth, a frown creasing her forehead. Dory and Marlin looked at her expectantly, puppy eyes and all while Anna had her hands in her pockets, rocking back on her heels, her eyes resting on Marlin's bag.

"I don't really know where to go," Elsa said guiltily. "I'm mostly at my dad's work place or in…the library. I don't really go out much." She looked away to hide the reemerging blush on her face. _Well, I do go to therapy, too. They probably think I'm a loser. _

Anna noticed the slight hitch in Elsa's voice and turned her eyes back at her. "We can go to your favorite place," She hesitated at first but then continued on. "Where do you like to go when you want to escape or just chill out?" Elsa stared at Anna, not expecting the girl to speak up. The redhead was smiling encouragingly, ocean-green eyes boring into hers without any more hint of nervousness. "It doesn't have to be something fancy. Just somewhere that makes you feel comfortable." Anna said gently.

Elsa contemplated her question. _Are her eyes usually this bright?  
_

"Well, I do like going to this coffee shop outside of campus." Elsa's face started to light up upon remembering her favorite place and her favorite barista. "But it might look old and boring to you guys. There aren't a lot of people who know about it since it's far from here, but the coffee is amazing. We can always go to another place if you—"

"Elsa, it sounds wonderful. I can't wait to see it." A hopeful smile parted Anna's cheeks apart as the blonde stared at her incredulously.

"Y-you really wanna go there?" Elsa asked, unable to hide the uncertainty in her voice. "It might not look much but—"

"But we're going. And it's gonna be fun. And we'll love it." Marlin offered as he grabbed 'The Sims City' from Elsa's desk to hold it in front of her face. "But before that, promise me you'll check this out tonight and send me pictures of what you're building."

"Yeah! Send it to me, too!" Dory added, pushing her glasses up her nose bridge.

Elsa tucked a strand of her locks behind her ear, a shadow of pink smudging her cheeks. She gave Marlin and Dory a chuckle and shifted her head to face Anna. The redhead did not blush copiously nor did she duck her head down to avoid Elsa's brilliant blue eyes.

If she had, she never would have seen Elsa Arendelle's lips curving upwards to show pearly white teeth accompanied by a disarming smile that can only belong to an angel or some celestial creature that is not of this world.

Anna looked at her like she was seeing the sun for the very first time: bright, beautiful, warm, and compelling.

_We'll go anywhere you want as long as you keep smiling like this._

* * *

Small but nimble hands made their finishing touches to the colossal wooden castle built from scratch without any supervision or written instructions. The structure was intricately designed with every measurement, texture, and color chosen carefully to make it as realistic and as akin to a real castle as possible. No one would suspect this to be the work of a nine-year-old girl, whose knowledge in architecture and geometry showed more superiority and competence than most architecture students who were decades older than her.

Elsa Arendelle took a few steps backwards, shutting an eye while sticking a thumb out to use it as a measuring stick to make sure her castle's gates were opened in a way that she wanted them to: wide and welcoming for people to come in and out of. Convinced that she had done a good work, she smiled to herself and kissed the tip of her castle's center where a blue snowflake was carefully carved and painted.

"I hope Papa and Mama will like this." She whispered although she was by herself in her huge and lonely bedroom. "Papa will be the dashing king, Mama will be the kind and beautiful queen, and I will be the princess. It'll be nice, too, if I had a baby sister." The little girl sighed. "I'll always take care of her and we'll share one room so we can play all the time. We'll share one bike and we'll eat chocolate whenever we want to. She'll always have me. She'll never be alone." Elsa's lips started to wobble, sad blue eyes glistening with tears.

"When I grow up," Elsa said in a firm and clear voice. "I'm going to design houses for people and I'm gonna make sure that they're happy with where they're living."

"I want to be an architect. Please help me be an architect."

Elsa closed her eyes, hoping the heavens would hear her.


End file.
